Comparing Three Measures of Self-Efficacy of Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents.

objectiveThis study examines the relationships between 3 measures of asthma-related self-efficacy and compares them by their relationships to quality of life, medication adherence, asthma control, asthma knowledge, and attitudes in adolescents.

methodsParticipants included 371 urban adolescents (age 12-20 years) with asthma. Three self-efficacy measures included the Asthma Outcome Expectation-self-efficacy subscale (AOE-SE), Asthma Management Index-self-efficacy subscale (AMI-SE), and the Asthma Self-Efficacy scale (ASE).

resultsThe sample included 50% male, predominantly African American (78.4%) participants. All 3 measures of self-efficacy were positively correlated with each other (r = 0.46-0.54, P < .001). After controlling for gender, age, race, and health insurance type, all 3 self-efficacy measures predicted the symptom domain of quality of life, adherence, asthma control, and knowledge. Activity limitation was predicted by AMI-SE (B = 0.19, P = .008) and ASE (B = 0.38, P < .001) but not by AOE-SE, while emotional function associated only with ASE (B = 0.37, P < 0.001). Attitudes were positively associated with AOE-SE and ASE (B = 1.83 and 2.87, respectively, P < 0.001 for both), but not with AMI-SE.

conclusionsMedication adherence and symptom control in adolescents were predicted by self-efficacy measured by the 3 measures, while these measures differed in their performance in predicting psychosocial outcomes. ASE appears the measure of choice in measuring adolescents' self-efficacy given its association with all outcome measures of the study. Further research is needed to investigate the generalized use of the self-efficacy measures in populations with varying demographic or asthma characteristics.