TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire
TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ) · Also known as: T-TPQ, TeamSTEPPS TPQ
The TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ) is a 35-item self-report instrument designed to measure team members' perceptions of teamwork and communication in clinical units. Developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Department of Defense, the T-TPQ was created specifically to evaluate the impact of TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) training on teamwork behaviors and safety outcomes. The questionnaire assesses five core domains of teamwork: team structure, leadership, situational monitoring, mutual support, and communication.
Read the full method
Sign in with a free account to read this section.
Method map
The neighbourhood of related methods — select a node to explore.
When to use it
The T-TPQ is ideal for healthcare teams implementing TeamSTEPPS training, measuring the intervention's effectiveness, and identifying which team dynamics improved most. It can be used in any setting where team-based care is central: operating rooms, intensive care units, labor and delivery, emergency departments, medical units, and rapid response teams. It is particularly valuable for detecting whether training translates into changed perceptions (and hopefully, changed behaviors) at the team level. Use it pre-training and 3–6 months post-training to capture the impact window. Repeat administration annually or after new team members join or leadership changes.
Strengths & limitations
- Directly aligned with TeamSTEPPS curriculum: The five domains (structure, teamwork, leadership, situational monitoring, communication) map to core training modules, making results actionable and interpretable to teams familiar with the program.
- Brief, practical questionnaire: 35 items take only 8–10 minutes, minimizing respondent burden and supporting high completion rates in busy clinical environments.
- Sensitive to change: Published studies demonstrate significant pre–post improvements in T-TPQ scores after TeamSTEPPS training, supporting its use as a process measure for intervention evaluation.
- Applicable across diverse teams and settings: Validated in operating rooms, intensive care units, emergency departments, and medical units, with consistent reliability and construct validity.
- Complements behavioral observation: T-TPQ captures perceived teamwork, which can be triangulated with direct observation (e.g., using video coding of communication and coordination) to validate training impact.
- Self-report bias: Respondents may rate teamwork more positively if they fear judgment or if team leadership reviews results. Confidentiality assurance is critical.
- Correlation vs. causation: Improved T-TPQ scores after TeamSTEPPS do not prove the training caused the improvement—other factors (staffing changes, system improvements, Hawthorne effect) may contribute.
- Does not measure behavioral change directly: The questionnaire measures perceptions of teamwork, not actual communication patterns or decision-making. Observational studies or incident data are needed to confirm that better perceptions translate to safer care.
- Variation by team composition: New team members, temporary staff, or part-time employees may have limited exposure to teamwork and perceive it differently than full-time staff. Item non-response can be high in dynamic teams.
- Limited to TeamSTEPPS context: While applicable to any teamwork assessment, the questionnaire was designed specifically to measure constructs taught in TeamSTEPPS. Use in non-TeamSTEPPS settings may underrepresent important teamwork dimensions like conflict resolution or emotional intelligence.
Frequently asked
How should we handle low response rates to the T-TPQ?
Low response (<70%) can bias results if non-responders have different teamwork perceptions. Offer multiple completion modalities (paper, QR code, email link), allow completion during work time with reminders, and consider brief incentives. If response is still low, stratify analysis by respondent role (nurse vs. physician, etc.) to check for differential participation.
What is a meaningful improvement in T-TPQ scores?
Published literature suggests that a change of ≥0.5 on the 1–5 scale (or ≥10 percentage points in percent agreement) represents a clinically meaningful improvement in perceived teamwork and is often seen in groups that complete TeamSTEPPS training with adequate follow-up coaching.
Can we use T-TPQ to measure teamwork in nonclinical hospital teams (e.g., laboratory, radiology)?
Yes. While developed for clinical teams, the core teamwork domains (structure, communication, leadership, situational monitoring) apply to any team-based work. Minor wording adjustments may improve relevance, but the structure and scoring remain valid.
How does T-TPQ compare to other teamwork instruments?
T-TPQ is specifically designed around TeamSTEPPS constructs and is shorter than instruments like the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (which measures safety culture broadly). If your goal is to evaluate TeamSTEPPS training, T-TPQ is ideal. If you want a comprehensive safety culture assessment, consider SAQ or HSOPS.
Sources
- Sorra, J., Nieva, V. F., Famolaro, T., & Dyer, N. (2014). Detailed Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Technical Report. link ↗
- Sexton, J. B., Helmreich, R. L., & Pronovost, P. J. (2011). The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire as a tool for evaluating the impact of patient safety initiatives on safety attitudes and outcomes. American Journal of Medical Quality, 25(3), 186–191. link ↗
- Clements, P. T., Kitchens, E., Lebel, N., & Schrecengost, S. (2007). Critical incident stress debriefing: an evaluation of existing research. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 22(2), 87–95. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/healthcare-management/teamstepps-perceptions
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
- Clinical Handover Quality ScaleHealthcare Management↔ compare
- Healthcare Team Vitality InstrumentHealthcare Management↔ compare
- Hospital Survey on Patient Safety CultureHealthcare Management↔ compare
- Safety Attitudes QuestionnaireHealthcare Management↔ compare