Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Among Pregnant Women.

Objective: Excessive gestational weight gain, driven by the global raise in obesity, poses significant health risks for both mothers and infants. This study aimed to validate and assess the reliability of the Korean version of the self-efficacy scale for healthy eating and physical activity to support pregnancy-related weight management research in Korea.

Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis using previously collected data from an online survey of pregnant women in South Korea. The self-efficacy scale underwent linguistic validation, including translation, back-translation, and expert review. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to assess content and construct validity, along with internal consistency reliability testing.

Results: A total of 369 pregnant women participated, primarily in their 30s (85.1%) and college-educated (79.1%). Content validity was high, with a scale-level content validity index of 0.99. Construct validity was confirmed through EFA and CFA, with the final model achieving satisfactory fit indices (χ²/df = 2.19, CFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.89, SRMR = 0.07, RMSEA = 0.06). The scale demonstrated high reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.93 for both subscales.

Conclusion: The validated Korean self-efficacy scale is a reliable tool for assessing pregnancy-related weight management behaviors. This culturally adapted instrument can support research and interventions promoting healthy eating and physical activity among Korean pregnant women.