Development and psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy Scale for transfers for caregivers of children requiring transfer assistance.

Abstract

To test the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of caregiver self-efficacy, the Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale for Transfers (CSEST), a 14-item questionnaire that measures the perceived self-efficacy of adult caregivers of dependent children and focuses on their perceived abilities and the challenges of assisting a child with restricted transfer ability. Reliability and validity study using survey data. Community-based survey study. Adult caregivers (eg, mother, father, grandparent) of dependent minors who require transfer assistance. Not applicable. Using the Rasch measurement model, the CSEST was tested for reliability and separation, validity (hierarchical and content), and factor structure. The CSEST yields data with sufficient reliability (reliability indices of .96 and .94 for respondents and items, respectively) as well as sufficient separation of levels of self-efficacy (item separation index, 4.13; person separation index, 5.23). The CSEST has a stable hierarchical structure with adequate content validity (standardized chi2 fit statistics <2.0) and point biserial correlations greater than .67. Factor analysis confirmed 2 insubstantial subscales; the 14-item CSEST accounted for greater than 85% of the total variance. The CSEST yields reliable data and valid inferences of self-efficacy from adult caregivers of children requiring transfer assistance. The CSEST may identify areas of need and/or difficulty with transfers for parents caring for dependent children.