Self-performance survey analysis

Abstract

HE NUMBER of elderly persons in the United States is increasing rapidly. People are living longer and, as a result of the vicissitudes of aging and the availability of advanced medical technology, they are consuming a percentage of health care dollars that far exceeds the percentage of the population they represent (Scitovsky & Capron, 1986). These facts make it imperative to develop strategies that will contribute to keeping the elderly population healthy. Given the complexity of the idea of health and the relative elusiveness of the concept (Kulbok & Baldwin, 1992) factors thought to influence health need to be investigated. Research devoted to factors that influence the health of elderly persons is generally descriptive. There is a need for explanatory and predictive investigation as well. In particular, instruments thought to explain health-related phenomena need to be evaluated for their usefulness with elderly populations. One factor thought to influence health is generalized self-efficacy. Also conceptualized as perceived competence, it is the expectation that one can successfully master certain behaviors. This report describes the use of an existing instrument, the Self-Performance Survey (Wallston, Wallston, Smith, & Dobbins, 1987), to measure perceived competence in an elderly population. The internal consistency of that instrument with three separate elderly populations is reported, and recommendations for further investigation of the instrument's usefulness are offered.