Development and psychometric evaluation of the type 1 diabetes mellitus self-management scale for parents

Abstract

Abstract Background/aim Diabetes has become a global epidemic, necessitating effective self-management strategies. This is particularly crucial for parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, as they must make numerous daily decisions and perform complex care activities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive diabetes self-management scale specifically for parents of children with type 1 diabetes. This scale aims to holistically address behaviors impacting diabetes self-management and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Materials and methods A methodological, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 190 parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The scale items were reviewed by five experts to ensure they adequately covered the parents' evaluation of their children's diabetes self-management. Following this, a Turkish language expert assessed the draft scale for language accuracy, comprehensibility, and grammar. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (numbers and percentages), Cronbach's α reliability coefficient, factor analysis, and correlation analysis. Results The Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was 0.893, and the Cronbach's alpha for the subscales was between 0.757 and 0.845. The item-total score correlations ranged between 0.408 and 0.660 (p < .05). The exploratory factor analysis showed that the scale explained 61.427% of the total variance, and the factor loadings of items ranged from 0.574 to 0.859. The confirmatory factor analysis also showed that the factor loadings of the scale items ranged from 0.574 to 0.859. Conclusion: The validity and reliability analyses revealed that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish culture.