title: Parental confidence in managing food allergy: development and validation of the Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Scale for Parents (FASE-P).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergy is often a life-long condition that requires constant vigilance to prevent accidental exposure and avoid potentially life-threatening symptoms. Parents' confidence in managing their child's food allergy may relate to the poor quality of life anxiety and worry reported by parents of food-allergic children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop and validate the first scale to measure parental confidence (self-efficacy) in managing food allergy in their child.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Scale for Parents (FASE-P) was developed through interviews with 53 parents, consultation of the literature and experts in the area. The FASE-P was then completed by 434 parents of food-allergic children from a general population sample in addition to the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Food Allergy Quality of Life Parental Burden Scale (FAQL-PB), the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and the Food Allergy Impact Measure (FAIM). A total of 250 parents completed the retest of the FASE-P.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor and reliability analysis resulted in a 21-item scale with five subscales. The overall scale and subscales have good to excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α of 0.63-0.89), and the scale is stable over time. There were low to moderate significant correlations with the GSES, FAIM and GHQ-12 and strong correlations with the FAQL-PB, with better parental confidence relating to better general self-efficacy, better quality of life and better mental health in the parent. Poorer self-efficacy was related to egg and milk allergy; self-efficacy was not related to severity of allergy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FASE-P is a reliable and valid scale for use with parents from a general population. Its application within clinical settings could aid provision of advice and improve targeted interventions by identifying areas where parents have less confidence in managing their child's food allergy.
authors.affiliation: Psychology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Knibb
authors.affiliation: Psychology, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Psychology, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stalker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy
keywords: confidence; food allergy; parents; quality of life; self-efficacy