Testing the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale among Saudi nursing students

Abstract

AimThe study tested the validity and reliability of the “Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale” Arabic version (DRSES-A) among Saudi nursing students. BackgroundDisaster self-efficacy is one such factor of increasing interest. Little research has explored disaster response self-efficacy despite growing evidence on disaster response preparedness in Saudi Arabia. A systematic, standardized and valid instrument is needed to assess disaster self-efficacy in the Saudi context. The DRSES is one of the tools with excellent psychometric properties that can evaluate the nursing students’ perceived self-efficacy in disaster preparation, mitigation and response. DesignThis investigation is a quantitative methodological design testing the validity and reliability of the DRSES-A. MethodIn this study, 290 Saudi nursing students were surveyed from May to June 2021 in the three government universities in Saudi Arabia using the convenience sampling technique. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale underwent a linguistic adaptation following a forward-backward translation method. Construct validity was established using the principal component analysis to extract the components of DRSES-A. ResultThe overall mean of the DRSES-A was 3.41 (SD = 0.75). The overall Cronbach alpha was 0.939. The subscales "Onsite rescue" and "Psychological nursing" had a similar alpha of 0.911, while "Role quality and adaptation" had a computed alpha of 0.878. The expert rated all item content validity index as 1 with an average score content validity index of 1. The principal component analysis supported a three-factor DRSES-A. ConclusionThe DRSES-A is a valid and reliable scale that can measure Arabic-speaking baccalaureate nursing students' self-reported disaster response self-efficacy.