[Psychometric properties of the SESM, Italian version of the "Consumer constructed scale to measure empowerment among users of mental health services" (Rogers et al., 1997)].
OBJECTIVE
To present the psychometric properties of the "Consumer-constructed Scale to measure empowerment" (Rogers et al., 1997) Italian version.


METHODS
After briefly recollecting "history", contents and psychometric features of the original scale, proceeding from Straticò & Degli Esposti's translation (2002), in this paper, the psychometric properties of the Italian version are described. The text of the instrument has been brought for discussion in a users' focus group and subsequently tested for reliability study; a second focus group followed to reach the definitive Italian version.


RESULTS
The Italian version of the Scale, consists of 28 items, showed an adequate internal consistency and reliability both for the whole scale and for most of the items, which have shown to have also good discriminative capacity.


CONCLUSIONS
SESM can be an useful instrument to give empiric evidence supporting empowerment concept. Considering the results, it can be a qualifying and irreplaceable instrument for "empowered condition" evaluation.
Straticò
Ettore
E
Ospedale Psichiatrico Giudiziario, Castiglione delle Stiviere, Azienda Ospedaliera Carlo Poma, Mantova. ettore.stratico@ospedalimantova.it
Mirabella
Fiorino
F
Degli Espositi
Marco
M
Morosini
Pierluigi
P
D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010358:Patient Participation; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires