A scale to measure self-efficacy and collective efficacy in the actions taken to implement the Brazilian food guide

Escala para medir a autoeficácia e a eficácia coletiva nas ações de implementação do Guia Brasileiro de Alimentos

Background:  The promotion of healthy eating in the school environment depends on teachers’ ability to effectively implement the guidelines of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines.

Objective:  Evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale to measure self-efficacy and collective efficacy in actions taken by teachers to implement the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population.

Methods:  A methodological study was developed with teachers from municipal schools in Montes Claros (MG). The evaluation of psychometric properties was carried out in three steps: question adaptation, content validation, and construct validation. Data were collected online from December 2019 to June 2021.

Results:  The scale had a content validity index of 0.98, demonstrating a clear and representative approach to the proposed theme. Satisfactory fit indices were observed in the confirmatory factor analysis, with factor loadings ranging from 0.56 to 0.83, indicating a positive, statistically significant correlation between the domains (r=0.70, p=0.001). The convergent and discriminant validity of the scale was confirmed. The general internal consistency yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.95, and the intra-class correlation coefficient ranged from 0.80 to 0.85 across both domains.

Conclusion:  The scale proved valid for measuring teachers’ self-efficacy and collective efficacy in implementing the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population.

Keywords:
validation study; diet, healthy; professional training; food guide