Febrile convulsion knowledge scale for parents/caregivers: A validity and reliability study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Child Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Parental anxiety regarding childhood fever often stems from fear of febrile seizures.
• Existing literature highlights the need for improved parental education on febrile convulsions.
• A validated tool is required to assess parental knowledge in this area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the 'Febrile Convulsion Knowledge Scale for Parents/Caregivers'.
• To provide a reliable instrument for measuring parental understanding of febrile convulsions.

Main Methods:

• A methodological study involving 984 parents/caregivers recruited online.
• Scale item pool construction followed by expert review and content validity analysis.
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Cronbach's Alpha, and test-retest reliability were performed.

Main Results:

• The final scale comprises 8 items across 3 factors, explaining 72.783% of the variance.
• Cronbach's Alpha was 0.679, indicating good internal consistency.
• Test-retest reliability was confirmed (t = -0.660, p = 0.514).

Conclusions:

• The 'Febrile Convulsion Knowledge Scale for Parents/Caregivers' is a valid and reliable instrument.
• Pediatric nurses should utilize this scale to guide patient education for families at risk of febrile convulsions.