title: Assessment of Scientific Communication Self-Efficacy, Interest, and Outcome Expectations for Career Development in Academic Medicine.
abstract: Competency in forms of scientific communication, both written and spoken, is essential for success in academic science. This study examined the psychometric properties of three new measures, based on social cognitive career theory, that are relevant to assessment of skill and perseverance in scientific communication. Pre- and postdoctoral trainees in biomedical science (N = 411) completed online questionnaires assessing self-efficacy in scientific communication, career outcome expectations, and interest in performing tasks in scientific writing, oral presentation, and impromptu scientific discourse. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate factor structures and model relations. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 22-item, 3-factor measure of self-efficacy, an 11-item, 2-factor measure of outcome expectations, and a 12-item, 3-factor measure of interest in scientific communication activities. Construct validity was further demonstrated by theory-consistent inter-factor relations and relations with typical communications performance behaviors (e.g., writing manuscripts, abstracts, presenting at national meetings).
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Research Training Program, Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Cheryl B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Research Training Program, Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Hwa Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Byars-Winston
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Rochester, NY.
authors.forename: Constance D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Research Training Program, Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Research Training Program, Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Shine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
keywords: LISREL; SCCT; Scientific communication; academic medicine; career development; measurement; scale development; social cognitive theory