title: Psychometric testing of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 6.2.
abstract: The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 6.2 (SCHFI v.6.2) is widely used, but its psychometric profile is still questioned. In a sample of 659 heart failure patients from Italy, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the original construct of the SCHFI v.6.2 scales (Self-Care Maintenance, Self-Care Management, and Self-Care Confidence), with limited success. We then used exploratory factor analysis to determine the presence of separate scale dimensions, followed by CFA in a separate sub-sample. Construct validity of individual scales showed excellent fit indices: CFI = .92, RMSEA = .05 for the Self-Care Maintenance Scale; CFI = .95, RMSEA = .07 for the Self-Care Management Scale; CFI = .99, RMSEA = .02 for the Self-Care Confidence scale. Contrasting groups validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were supported as well. This evidence provides a new understanding of the structure of the SCHFI v.6.2 and supports its use in clinical practice and research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy.
authors.forename: Ercole
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vellone
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riegel
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cocchieri
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbaranelli
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonetti
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: heart failure; instrument validity and reliability; psychometric testing; self-care