The CMSES-4: A Short Scale for Pediatric Medication Self-Efficacy

This study developed and validated the Children’s Medication Self-Efficacy Scale (CMSES), a psychometric tool grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, to assess medication self-efficacy in pediatric populations. Using data from 2,258 Chinese children, the four-item scale demonstrated robust psychometric properties through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), revealing a two-factor structure (magnitude and strength) that accounted for 76% of the total variance. The scale exhibited excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92). Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified three distinct self-efficacy profiles and Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis established a cut-off score to effectively distinguish low self-efficacy cases. These findings confirm the CMSES as a reliable and valid tool for evaluating medication self-efficacy in children, offering clinicians a practical instrument to design tailored interventions aimed at improving medication adherence in pediatric care.