Psychometric Testing of the Turkish Version of the Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

When stroke survivors return to their lives in society, they often face issues such as physical or cognitive impairment, dependence on others, social isolation, and reduced self-esteem, which may lead to disastrous consequences in patients' self-perceived self-efficacy and self-confidence in everyday life. Self-efficacy plays an important role in the well-being of stroke patients. Accurate assessment of the stroke patients' self-efficacy by health professionals is critical to obtaining data regarding their functioning levels.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (T-SSEQ).

A sample of 185 stroke patients (mean age = 64.78 ± 10.7) was recruited from a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Data were collected between April and October 2016. Translation and back-translation processes were used to translate the T-SSEQ into Turkish. Data were analyzed using the Rasch partial credit model with the Winsteps program to investigate the response scale analysis, tests of fit to the model, unidimensionality, local dependency, item and person separation reliability, separation index, and differential item functioning.

The Rasch analysis showed goodness of fit for both the activity and self-management subscales. Moreover, both scales were identified as being unidimensional in structure. Furthermore, the participants were able to distinguish between the categories of the response options, and scale reliability was supported for both subscales using Rasch analyses.

These results indicate that the T-SSEQ is acceptable for use with Turkish stroke patients in both practice and research settings. Furthermore, the questionnaire is suitable for nurses to use in designing interventions and evaluating stroke patients' self-efficacy in clinics, home care, and rehabilitation centers.