Implicit Bias in Clinical Training: Development and Validation of the Forman Scale (FIBS)

The current study developed and validated the Forman Implicit Bias Scale for trainee healthcare professionals in the Pakistani cultural context. Based on the Attribution Theory, the study consisted of four phases: Item generation, exploratory factor analysis, establishing psychometric properties, and confirmatory factor analysis. There were eight samples in the study, labeled A to H, each representing a different step. The final scale was a four-factor, reliable, and valid instrument for assessing implicit bias in trainee healthcare professionals during patient interactions. Cut-off scores were also derived to categorize trainee healthcare professionals into low- and high-bias groups. Limitations of the study included an extremely small sample size for confirmatory factor analysis. The scale is primarily based on trainee healthcare professionals, so its use with trained healthcare professionals remains unknown. Despite certain limitations, this scale enables the measurement and identification of implicit bias in healthcare settings.