Development and validation of a self-efficacy measure for fat intake behaviors of low-income women.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a valid self-efficacy measure for eating low-fat diets in low-income women.


METHODS
Cognitive interviews followed by self-administered questionnaires.


METHODS
206 (6 + 200) nonpregnant black and white women participating in Head Start and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in Wisconsin. VARIABLES MEASURES: A 13-item self-efficacy measure for eating low-fat diets.


METHODS
Content analysis and factor analyses.


RESULTS
After cognitive interviews, 3 items were removed from a draft instrument. Factor analyses were carried out using data from 200 questionnaires that were randomly selected from a pool of 487 respondents: 100 for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and 100 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Based on EFA, the 10-item pool was further reduced to 8 items, and 3 domains emerged: negative affect, positive affect, and availability. The results of CFA showed excellent model fit to the data (chi 2/df = 1.2, non-normed fit index = 1.0, comparative fit index = 1.0, incremental fit index = 1.0, root mean square error of approximate =.046). This measure demonstrated excellent reliabilities (Cronbach alpha : .82-.92; composite reliability: .92-.99) and construct and convergent validities.


CONCLUSIONS
Information obtained from this revised instrument can be used among low-income women to measure self-efficacy for eating low-fat diets. This is an important step in developing more targeted and thus more effective education messages to help low-income women modify their fat intake behaviors.
Chang
Mei-Wei
MW
Michigan State University College of Nursing, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Nitzke
Susan
S
Brown
Roger L
RL
Baumann
Linda Ciofu
LC
Oakley
Linda
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011203:Poverty; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires