title: The self-efficacy scale for preschool teachers regarding asthma care: instrument development and validation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of a questionnaire that assesses preschool teachers' self-efficacy in providing asthma care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 407 teachers from 54 preschools in Taiwan participated in the study by completing the asthma management self-efficacy scale. We assessed validity of the scale through expert opinion, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the scale was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 10-items questionnaire was developed to assess self-efficacy concerning asthma treatment. On the basis of explorative factor analysis, 2 major factors emerged from the 10 self-efficacy items that together explained 61.68% of the total variance in teachers' self-efficacy with regard to asthma care. We named these factors "prevention of an asthma episode" and "the treatment of an asthma exacerbation." Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the 2-factor model provided the best goodness-of-fit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This scale could provide health professionals with useful information concerning preschool teachers' self-efficacy with respect to the management of asthma in the preschool setting.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, (bsgau@ntu.edu.tw), School of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, 1 Jen-Ai Road, Sec 1, Taipei 10018, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bih-Shya
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Gau
authors.forename: Chao-Chia
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012572:School Health Services; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: asthma; confirmatory factor analysis; scale development; self-efficacy