ASSESSING THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE MALAYSIAN VERSION OF PERCEIVED DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT SCALE FOR DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: The self-management of the chronic illnesses including diabetes mellitus (DM) contributes directly to the optimum outcomes. The selfmanagement
of
patients living
with DM
is essential to
achieve
optimal glycemic
control
and
to
avoid
or forestall
the
myriad
to
manage the
long-term

negative
consequences.
This study
aimed to
assess psychometric
properties
of
the
Malaysian
version
of
perceived
diabetes
self-management scale

(PDSMS).
Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 314 adult diabetes patients (≥18-years-old; DM Type 1 or 2) attending Endocrine Clinic at Kuala
Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia from July 2014 to January 2015, for the period of 6-month. Permission was obtained from the corresponding author
to translate the English version of PDSMS to Malay language (M-PDSMS). The final version of the questionnaire was self-administered among the
patients living with DM after taking their consent before their participation in this study. Psychometric properties were evaluated using the classical
test theory: Cronbach's alpha (α), intraclass correlation (ICC), and construct validity by principle component analysis and the modern test theory
(MTT): Realtime item reliability, person reliability, and item construct validity.
Results: M-PDSMS proved to be internally consistent with good Cronbach α values for both pilot and real study (α=0.69, 0.77), respectively. ICC (0.75)
for 1-month test-retest reliability proved the stability of the items. While in MTT, the realtime item reliability values also surpassed the good reliability
index of 0.70 for both pilot (α=0.93) and real study (α=0.97).
Conclusion: M-PDSMS proved to be a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess the perceived diabetes self-management among the Malaysian DM
patients. The findings of the study should be replicated in other states of Malaysia to ensure the retention of good reliability and validity profile.
Keywords: Self-management, Diabetes, Perceived diabetes self-management scale, Reliability, Validity, Modern test theory, Classical test theory, Rasch.