Online Program

292587
Validation of the 11-factor empowerment scale


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Larimar Fuentes, M.S., Department of Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Carlos Albizu University, San Juan Campus, San Juan, PR
Aida L Jimenez, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
The purpose of this study is to develop a scale that measures empowerment in clients who receive psychological treatment. Empowering clients to take control of their mental health treatment is associated with retention and attendance to their mental health treatment. In Puerto Rico there are no scales that measure the construct of empowerment in a psychotherapeutic encounter. The present study aims to develop and validate an 11-Factor Empowerment Scale. Empowerment will be measured at the individual level and the factors are based on the Empowerment Process Model proposed by Cattaneo & Chapman (2010). The scale consists of a ninety nine-item pool that evaluate the following factors: (1) self-worth, (2) self-efficacy, (3) self-esteem, (4) power, (5) optimism, (6) self-control, (7) awareness, (8) knowledge, (9) competence, (10) action, and (11) impact. A 5-point Likert Scale format ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree will be used. The higher the total score on the scale, the higher the empowerment at the individual level. The content validity of the scale will be measured with a panel of 5 experts in the field using C.H. Lawshe's method. The internal consistency and reliability of the scale will be measured with Cronbach's alpha. The analyses will be conducted using SPSS and a discrimination index (rbis) between .30 and .70 will be selected to determine the items that will be included in the final scale. The psychometric properties of the scale will be discussed.

Learning Areas:

Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Assess empowerment in clients who receive psychological treatment with the 11-Factor Empowerment Scale.

Keyword(s): Self-sufficiency and Empowerment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Ph.D. Clinical Psychology student at Carlos Albizu University. I have been interested in the area of empowerment, since in Puerto Rico there are no scales that measure the construct of empowerment in a psychotherapeutic encounter.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.