Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
The development and psychometric evaluation of a self-efficacy scale for practicing pelvic floor exercises
Cinara Sacomori1, Fernando L Cardoso, Isabela P Porto
1Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Center for Health Sciences and Sports, Department of Health Sciences, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
Background:
Self-efficacy has been shown to be a predictor of many health-related behaviors, including the practice of pelvic floor exercises with a focus on prevention or cure.
Objectives:
To describe the process of construction and the psychometric properties of the scale of self-efficacy for the practice of pelvic floor exercises (EAPEAP).
Method:
A cross-sectional study of validation was carried out with 81 from community and 96 postpartum women, 54.8% of them complained of urinary leakage. An exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis was performed. To check predictive capacity, we analyzed the adherence at 3 months post - intervention and compared the scores of self-efficacy between adherent and non-adherent women. Reliability was analyzed by split half procedure.
Results:
The instrument showed α=0.923, and revealed three factors: performance expectation considering the action, performance expectation considering the preparation for action and outcome expectations. These factors accounted for 65.32% of the total variance. The instrument was able to differentiate between women who adhere and have not adhered to the exercises (U=352, p=0.013) and there was strong correlation between the two halves of the instrument (rho=0.889, p<0.001).
Conclusion:
The scale is a valid and reliable tool to measure self-efficacy to practice pelvic floor exercises.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Efficacy
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Esteem
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...