title: Validity and Reliability of a Parental Self-Efficacy Instrument in the Healthy School Start Prevention Trial of Childhood Obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measures of parental self-efficacy (PSE) for healthy dietary or physical activity (PA) behaviors in children have been used in several studies; however, further psychometric validation of PSE for these behaviors is needed. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new PSE instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers (n = 162) of 6-year-old children in the Healthy School Start prevention trial of childhood obesity responded to the instrument and a parent-report questionnaire on diet and PA in children. In addition, PA was objectively assessed by accelerometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analysis yielded a structure composed of three factors of PSE for dietary and PA behaviors in children, and PSE was associated with parent-report of these behaviors. Internal consistency was good.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary support of the validity and reliability of the PSE instrument was provided. The measure may be useful in prevention and treatment trials of childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden benjamin.bohman@ki.se.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bohman
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elinor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sundblom
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Liselotte Schäfer
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Elinder
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
keywords: child health; obesity; parenting; social cognitive theory