Psychometric Properties of the 8-Item English Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale in a Diverse Sample

Arthritis self-efficacy is important for successful disease management. This study examined psychometric properties of the 8-item English version of the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES-8) and differences in ASES-8 scores across sample subgroups. In 401 participants with self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, exploratory factor analysis and tests of internal consistency were conducted. Concurrent validity was examined by associating ASES-8 scores with disease-specific, psychosocial, functional, and behavioral measures expected to be related to arthritis self-efficacy. All analyses were conducted for the full sample and within subgroups (gender, race, age, education, and weight status). Exploratory factor analysis for the entire sample and in all 12 subgroups demonstrated a one factor solution (factor loadings: 0.61 to 0.89). Internal consistency was high for measures of Cronbach's alpha (0.87 to 0.94), omega (0.87 to 0.93), and greatest lower bound (0.90 to 0.95). ASES-8 scores were significantly correlated with all measures assessed (P < 0.05), demonstrating concurrent validity. Those with a high school education or greater had higher ASES-8 scores than those with less than a high school education (P < .001); no other subgroup differences were found. The ASES-8 is a valid and reliable tool to measure arthritis self-efficacy efficiently and thereby reduce participant burden in research studies.