title: The maternal self-efficacy scale for preventing early childhood diarrhea: validity and reliability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to develop and validate a psychometric scale for preventing early childhood diarrhea in endemic areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before applying to the field, the scale was subjected to content validity by a panel of experts and piloting. The final version was applied to 448 mothers of children 0- to 5-year-olds, living in Fortaleza, northeast Brazil. Structured interviews were conducted to identify diarrheal episodes in the study children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant negative correlations were found between higher maternal self-efficacy scores and previous childhood diarrhea (p = .001). In addition, positive correlations were found with maternal age (p = .018). The frequency of children (6-36 months old) with diarrhea was significantly lower when scale scores were higher (p = .015). The predictive validity revealed that high levels of maternal self-efficacy were a protective factor against childhood diarrhea. Cronbachs alpha was .84.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scale was found reliable. Cultural adjustments may be needed to extrapolate the scale to other endemic areas worldwide.
authors: Nursing Department, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors: Emanuella S
authors: ES
authors: Joventino
authors: Lorena B
authors: LB
authors: Ximenes
authors: Paulo C
authors: PC
authors: Almeida
authors: Monica O B
authors: MO
authors: Oria
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires