Spanish validation of the cardiac self-efficacy scale: a gender invariant measure

The aim is to validate the Spanish version of the Cardiac Self-Efficacy (S-CSE) Scale by examining its psychometric properties and to test the invariance for women and men. Two groups - 722 and 522- of patients completed the S-CSE Scale and other psychosocial measures during a medical revision several months after being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Construct validity was psychometrically evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with a split of the first sample and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with a second split of the same sample. Scale structure was confirmed using the second sample. Convergent, discriminant, and external validity were tested. Results revealed that the S-CSE Scale was represented by three dimensions (control symptoms, control illness, maintain functioning) obtaining excellent reliability indexes and it appeared to be invariant for women and men. The S-CSE scale is a useful tool for monitoring the general well-being of these patients to promote individualized interventions.