title: Development and Psychometric Properties of the Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale (YSES).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Yoga is a behavioral practice that uses physical movement, breathing, and meditation to improve health and promote personal transformation. Ancient yoga philosophy proposed that an individual's confidence about yoga, a concept similar to self-efficacy, will affect the likelihood of improved health from yoga practice. The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a self-efficacy measure for yoga practice (the Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale; YSES).
  
  
  METHODS
  Yoga practitioners were recruited to evaluate the psychometric properties of YSES via a secure online survey. We collected data on additional measures to further examine construct validity. After two weeks, participants were invited to complete YSES items again to assess test-retest reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of participants (N = 309) were White (85%), female (82%), and yoga instructors (56%). The 12-item YSES is unidimensional with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Test-retest reliability is r = 0.79 (n = 170). YSES scores are positively correlated with health competence, health-related quality of life, and years practicing yoga, supporting construct validity. Also, yoga teachers scored significantly higher on the YSES than non-teachers (p < 0.001). Non-significant relationships with education, income and sex supported discriminant validity. YSES maintained internal consistency and construct validity for all yoga styles surveyed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  YSES is a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy for yoga practice that may provide insight into barriers to adopting and maintaining yoga as a health behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. gurjeet.birdee@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Gurjeet S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Birdee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sohl
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232-8300, USA.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wallston
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D015013:Yoga