Reliability and Validity of the Korean-Parental Self-Efficacy with Eczema Care Index

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a global problem affecting children, and its prevalence in Korea is steadily increasing. Since it is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease, caregiver management of young children's atopic dermatitis is crucial for positive treatment outcomes. A factor that contributes to adherence to recommended prescriptions is parents’ self-efficacy. However, accurate measurements of parental self-efficacy in relation to disease-specific task management are scarce.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Korean language version of the Parental Self-Efficacy with Eczema Care Index (K-PASECI).

METHODS: One hundred twenty five mothers of children younger than 13 years old who had atopic dermatitis were recruited from three tertiary hospitals across Korea. The K-PASECI was developed in accordance with the published guidelines. Psychometric testing included factor analysis, internal consistency testing, and concurrent validity analysis by comparing K-PASECI domains with parenting self-efficacy subscales.

RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure that explained 69.4% of the variance. The four factors were as follows; managing a child’s symptoms and behaviour, communicating with medical staff, managing medication, and using moisturizer as part of routine management. The findings showed acceptable internal consistency (α=.94) and a moderate positive correlation with parenting self-efficacy (r=.48, p<.001).

CONCLUSION: The K-PASECI, a reliable and valid scale for measuring self-efficacy in parents caring for children with atopic dermatitis, may be used in clinical and research settings to measure parents’ self-efficacy in Korea, as well as in other English-speaking countries.