The following is a summary of “Development and validation of a self-management self-efficacy scale for premature birth prevention (SMSE-PBP) for women of childbearing age,” published in the February 2024 issue of Obstetrics and Gynaecology by Kim et al.

This study aimed to develop and assess the validity and reliability of a self-management self-efficacy scale for premature birth prevention (SMSE-PBP) in women of childbearing age (WCA). The development and validation process comprised three phases: conceptualization, item generation, and content validity assessment, followed by evaluation of construct and concurrent validity and reliability analysis. Data analysis involved exploratory and second-order confirmatory factor analyses, with concurrent validity examined through Pearson’s correlation coefficients. 

The reliability was assessed using omega hierarchy and Cronbach’s ⍺ coefficients. Content validity was confirmed through expert evaluation and cognitive interviews with WCA. The SMSE-PBP scale comprises a second-order 3-dimensional and 10-factor structure with 60 items, demonstrating robust construct and concurrent validity. Omega values ranged from 0.92 to 0.94 across different phases, indicating high reliability, while Cronbach’s ⍺ coefficients ranged from 0.88 to 0.96. The SMSE-PBP scale proves valuable for both WCA and healthcare professionals in assessing women’s self-management self-efficacy related to premature birth prevention across various stages, pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and hospital settings. Future endeavors should explore the scale’s relationship with pregnancy health behaviors to enhance its utility in clinical practice.

Source: bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-024-02964-w