Portuguese translation and psychometric testing of the cardiac self-efficacy scale

Abstract

Introduction

Self-efficacy plays a pivotal role in the ongoing management of patients recovering from myocardial infarction.¹ Evaluating patients’ cardiac self-efficacy is essential for healthcare professionals to structure person-centred care interventions that enable individuals to effectively self-manage their condition.²

Objective

To translate and test the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of Cardiac Self-efficacy Scale (PT-CSE) scale.

Methods

Employing a two-phase methodological design, the research first involved translation and cultural adaptation of the original Cardiac Self-Efficacy scale.³ In Phase I, a forward-backward translation protocol was applied to develop the Portuguese instrument. Phase II focused on evaluating structural, convergent, and discriminant validity as well as internal consistency in a convenience sample of 102 patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, with full-information maximum likelihood (FIML) employed.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis supported a multidimensional 13 items scale. The overall internal consistency was good, with subscales also showing strong reliability. Convergent and discriminant validity were established.

Conclusion

The PT-CSE scale has been validated as a reliable and valid measure for assessing cardiac self-efficacy in Portuguese patients following myocardial infarction. The PT-CSE scale offers meaningful insights into patients’ perceptions of their capabilities and beliefs after myocardial infarction. Incorporating self-efficacy assessment can optimize standard treatment by facilitating a more person-centred care practice and promote improved outcomes for patients recovering from myocardial infarction.