Development and testing of the Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Self-Efficacy Scale

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Psychology
• Health Behavior

Background:

• Dietary therapy is crucial for hypercholesterolemia management.
• Patient adherence to therapeutic diets for cholesterol reduction remains a significant challenge.
• Self-efficacy is recognized as a predictor of positive behavior change, including dietary modifications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically evaluate an instrument measuring self-efficacy for adhering to a cholesterol-lowering diet.
• To establish the psychometric properties and temporal stability of the developed scale.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted, guided by Bandura's self-efficacy theory.
• Study 1: Development and initial evaluation in 44 cardiac rehabilitation patients.
• Study 2: Psychometric evaluation in 228 hypercholesterolemia patients; scale re-administration assessed temporal stability.

Main Results:

• The Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Self-Efficacy Scale (CLD-SE) comprises 56 items measuring various eating habit components.
• The CLD-SE demonstrated good reliability and validity in both study samples.
• Higher reported self-efficacy correlated with prior persistence, past success in dietary changes, and concurrent dietary adherence.

Conclusions:

• The CLD-SE is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing self-efficacy in adhering to cholesterol-lowering diets.
• The scale appears adequate for identifying individuals successful in achieving and maintaining dietary changes for cholesterol management.