Development, factor structure, and construct validity of the Self-Efficacy About Aging Measure (SEAM)

Our goal was to develop a measure of aging-related self-efficacy: The belief in one's capabilities to successfully perform behaviors that are necessary to execute positive influence over one's aging process. Thirty-six items were generated to address different domains of aging related change. Using data from 198 adults (mean age = 59.5, sd = 24.5), 22 items were selected to measure perceived aging-related self-efficacy in each of the following domains: Physical abilities, emotion regulation, disease resistance, and memory. The resulting 4-factor structure of the SEAM was replicated in two samples of 223 community dwelling adults (mean age = 39.7, sd = 27.6) and 180 nuns (mean age = 72.9, sd-10.1). Data from the different samples suggest that SEAM scores are significantly lower than current efficacy levels in the same domains (F[2, 184] = 11.81, P < .00001). High perceived self-efficacy for one's aging process as measured by the SEAM is accompanied by fewer physical symptoms (r = -.27, p r =. 15, p r = .42, p r =. 19, p