Psychometric testing of the self-care of heart failure index version 6.2

The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 6.2 (SCHFI v.6.2) is widely used, but its psychometric profile is still questioned. In a sample of 659 heart failure patients from Italy, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the original construct of the SCHFI v.6.2 scales (Self-Care Maintenance, Self-Care Management, and Self-Care Confidence), with limited success. We then used exploratory factor analysis to determine the presence of separate scale dimensions, followed by CFA in a separate sub-sample. Construct validity of individual scales showed excellent fit indices: CFI=.92, RMSEA=.05 for the Self-Care Maintenance Scale; CFI=.95, RMSEA=.07 for the Self-Care Management Scale; CFI=.99, RMSEA=.02 for the Self-Care Confidence scale. Contrasting groups validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were supported as well. This evidence provides a new understanding of the structure of the SCHFI v.6.2 and supports its use in clinical practice and research. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 36: 500-511, 2013