The development and psychometric evaluation of a self-efficacy scale for practicing pelvic floor exercises.
BACKGROUND
Self-efficacy has been shown to be a predictor of many health-related behaviors, including the practice of pelvic floor exercises with a focus on prevention or cure.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the process of construction and the psychometric properties of the scale of self-efficacy for the practice of pelvic floor exercises (EAPEAP).


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of validation was carried out with 81 from community and 96 postpartum women, 54.8% of them complained of urinary leakage. An exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis was performed. To check predictive capacity, we analyzed the adherence at 3 months post - intervention and compared the scores of self-efficacy between adherent and non-adherent women. Reliability was analyzed by split half procedure.


RESULTS
The instrument showed α=0.923, and revealed three factors: performance expectation considering the action, performance expectation considering the preparation for action and outcome expectations. These factors accounted for 65.32% of the total variance. The instrument was able to differentiate between women who adhere and have not adhered to the exercises (U=352, p=0.013) and there was strong correlation between the two halves of the instrument (rho=0.889, p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The scale is a valid and reliable tool to measure self-efficacy to practice pelvic floor exercises.
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Center for Health Sciences and Sports, Department of Health Sciences, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
Cinara
C
Sacomori
Fernando L
FL
Cardoso
Isabela P
IP
Porto
Nubia B
NB
Negri
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011594:Psychometrics; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires