Reliability and Validity of a Measure of Perceived Diabetes and Dietary Competence in African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes

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Abstract
PURPOSE General measure of perceived diabetes and dietary competence (PDDC) was developed to assess a person's sense of confidence and perceived behavioral control in diabetes and dietary self-management. Internal structure, reliability, and construct validity were evaluated. METHODS There were 2 samples of African American women with type 2 diabetes; 226 patients in the development sample and 225 patients in the validation sample. Factor analysis, Cronbach's coefficient alpha, and correlation analysis were used to assess reliability and validity of the PDDC measure. RESULTS Three subscales were empirically determined by factor analysis: positive competence, negative dietary competence, and negative control. Cronbach's alphas for all subscales were good. Predicted relationships with measures of perceived health competence, self-efficacy, social support, and perceived dietary barriers were largely supported in construct validation. CONCLUSIONS This study provides initial support for the internal reliability and validity of a perceived diabetes and dietary competence measure. Further research is needed to determine its validity in other samples of African Americans with type 2 diabetes and its clinical utility in evaluating diabetes self-management training.