title: Development and psychometric validation of social cognitive theory scales in an oral health context.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to develop and evaluate scales reflecting potentially modifiable social cognitive theory-based risk indicators associated with homeless populations' oral health. The scales are referred to as the social cognitive theory risk scales in an oral health context (SCTOH) and are referred to as SCTOH(SE), SCTOH(K) and SCTOH(F), respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The three SCTOH scales assess the key constructs of social cognitive theory: self-efficacy, knowledge and fatalism. The reliability and validity of the three scales were evaluated in a convenience sample of 248 homeless participants (age range 17-78 years, 79% male) located in a metropolitan setting in Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scales were supported by exploratory factor analysis and established three distinct and internally consistent domains of social cognition: oral health-related self-efficacy, oral health-related knowledge and oral health-related fatalism, with Cronbach's alphas of 0.95, 0.85 and Spearman's-Brown ρ of 0.69. Concurrent ability was confirmed by each SCTOH scale's association with oral health status in the expected directions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The three SCTOH scales appear to be internally valid and reliable. If confirmed by further research, these scales could potentially be used for tailored educational and cognitive-behavioural interventions to reduce oral health inequalities among homeless and other vulnerable populations.
authors.affiliation: Indigenous Eye Health Unit, The University of Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: Eleanor J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003071:Cognition; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: homeless; oral health; social cognitive theory