Development and Psychometric Properties of the Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale (YSES)
BMC complementary and alternative medicine
Short Title:
BMC Complement.Altern.Med.
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Date:
Nov 30, 2015
Pages:
3 - 015-0981-0
Sources ID:
33276
Notes:
LR: 20170427; GR: UL1 TR000445/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States; GR: K23 AT006965/AT/NCCIH NIH HHS/United States; GR: P30 DK092986/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States; GR: K01AT008219/AT/NCCIH NIH HHS/United States; GR: K01 AT008219/AT/NCCIH NIH HHS/United States; GR: UL1 TR00044/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States; GR: K23AT006965/AT/NCCIH NIH HHS/United States; JID: 101088661; 2015/08/06 00:00 [received]; 2015/12/23 00:00 [accepted]; 2016/01/08 06:00 [entrez]; 2016/01/08 06:00 [pubmed]; 2016/08/12 06:00 [medline]; epublish
Collection:
Yoga-Based Medical Interventions
Visibility:
Public (group default)
Abstract:
(Show)
BACKGROUND: Yoga is a behavioral practice that uses physical movement, breathing, and meditation to improve health and promote personal transformation. Ancient yoga philosophy proposed that an individual's confidence about yoga, a concept similar to self-efficacy, will affect the likelihood of improved health from yoga practice. The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a self-efficacy measure for yoga practice (the Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale; YSES). METHODS: Yoga practitioners were recruited to evaluate the psychometric properties of YSES via a secure online survey. We collected data on additional measures to further examine construct validity. After two weeks, participants were invited to complete YSES items again to assess test-retest reliability. RESULTS: A majority of participants (N = 309) were White (85%), female (82%), and yoga instructors (56%). The 12-item YSES is unidimensional with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Test-retest reliability is r = 0.79 (n = 170). YSES scores are positively correlated with health competence, health-related quality of life, and years practicing yoga, supporting construct validity. Also, yoga teachers scored significantly higher on the YSES than non-teachers (p < 0.001). Non-significant relationships with education, income and sex supported discriminant validity. YSES maintained internal consistency and construct validity for all yoga styles surveyed. CONCLUSION: YSES is a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy for yoga practice that may provide insight into barriers to adopting and maintaining yoga as a health behavior.