Development of a rating scale for self-efficacy of physical activity in frail elderly people

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to 1) development the scale of the self-efficacy of physical activity in frail elderly people (SEPAF), 2) investigate the relationship of physical functions and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). Methods: The study included 187 community-dwelling elderly people. Subject's SEPAF (walking, stair-climbing, lifting a weight), physical functions (usual gait speed, maximum gait speed, knee extension muscle strength, hand grip) and IADL according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG Index of Competence) were measured. The reliability of this scale was examined using Cronbach's α, and test-retest correlation. The criterion-related validity and the construct validity were evaluated relatively using physical functions and factor analysis. The score was compared between young-old and old-old and gender. The correlation between SEPAF and TMIG Index of Competence was examined. Results: Cronbach's α showing internal consistency for these scales were 0.78-0.82. The score showed significant differences in gender and age group. There were significant relationships between SEPAF and physical functions, and the TMIG Index of Competence. Conclusion: The SEPAF was shown to be highly reliable. Few scale for frail elderly people exist, and it is useful to assess the self-efficacy of physical activities in frail and community-dwelling elderly people.