Adaptation and validation of the emotional self-efficacy scale in Peruvian University Students

Developing emotional self-efficacy is essential for university students to achieve psychological well-being and adequate academic performance. However, in Peru, there is a lack of valid and reliable tools to assess this construct.

To translate, adapt, and validate the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale for Peruvian university students.

A cross-sectional instrumental study was conducted. The sample consisted of 947 university students of both sexes (56.6 % male), all over 18 years of age, from the three main regions of Peru (highlands, coast, and jungle). Participants were recruited from private (73.9 %) and public (26.1 %) universities, and represented faculties such as engineering (43 %), health sciences (18.8 %), business (14.5 %), social sciences (8.9 %), and humanities (5.9 %). The instrument under validation was the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (ESE), composed of seven items distributed in a single factor. To assess validity and reliability, several procedures were implemented: back-translation, content validity using Aiken's V coefficient, construct validity through factor analysis techniques, and internal consistency using the omega coefficient (ω).

All items were found to be clear, relevant, and representative (V > 0.70).The initial validation revealed moderate fit indices, which improved after removing a problematic item (χ²(9) = 54.5, p < .001, CFI = 0.995, RMSEA = 0.073, SRMR = 0.019). Factor loadings ranged from 0.74 to 0.81, and internal consistency was high (ω = 0.95). Gender invariance analysis confirmed configurational, threshold, and metric equivalence.

The adapted EAE-Uni is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing emotional self-efficacy in Peruvian university students. Its application can contribute to developing strategies that promote psychological well-being and academic success while addressing the country's cultural and educational needs.