title: The Low Back Activity Confidence Scale (LoBACS): preliminary validity and reliability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low back pain affects a substantial number of adults each year and is persistent or recurrent for many. Self-efficacy is an important predictor of functional recovery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this investigation was to assess the preliminary reliability and validity of the Low Back Activity Confidence Scale (LoBACS) for individuals with histories of low back pain or lumbar surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two overlapping samples of patients who had undergone a microdiskectomy participated: a test-retest sample of 21 individuals and a validity sample of 53 individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low Back Activity Confidence Scale items pertaining to self-efficacy for functional activities (FnSE subscale), self-regulation of back health (Self-RegSE subscale), and regular exercise (ExSE subscale) were generated from existing literature and clinical observations. The test-retest sample completed the LoBACS twice, approximately 10 days apart. The validity sample completed the LoBACS and measures of functional performance, self-reported leisure and occupational physical activity, pain, fear beliefs, disability, and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FnSE, Self-RegSE, and ExSE subscale scores and LoBACS total score had excellent to acceptable test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of .924, .634, .710, and .850, respectively) and internal consistency (Cronbach α coefficients of .924, .804, .941, and .911, respectively). The LoBACS subscales were correlated in expected directions with physical performance, physical activity, pain, fear beliefs, disability, and quality of life, providing initial evidence of concurrent validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings provide preliminary content and concurrent validity and interrater and internal consistency reliability for the LoBACS measure of self-efficacy for individuals with histories of low back pain and lumbar microdiskectomy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, 1540 E Alcazar St, CHP 155, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. kayamada@usc.edu
authors.forename: Kimiko A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lewthwaite
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Popovich
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Beneck
authors.forename: Kornelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kulig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome