The linguistic and construct validity of the Malay version of the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES-My): Evidence from a sample of Malaysian parents of children with leukemia or lymphoma

Parents of children with hematological cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma need to cope with stress related to their child's diagnosis. The Coping Self-Efficacy Scale is a widely used and validated tool to measure an individual's confidence in dealing with stressful situations. Appropriate translation and validation are needed to produce a localized language version suitable for Malaysian contexts. The study aimed to examine the linguistic and construct validity of the Malay version of the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES-My) among parents of children with hematological cancer. The CSES-My was created through a sequential series of steps, starting with the translation of the original English version, followed by cultural adaptation, and then cognitive interviewing. The 26-item CSES-My was self-administered in a sample of parents of children with leukemia and lymphoma from October 2021 until February 2022. They were recruited via online or face-to-face methods. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the construct validity of the CSES-My. A total of 165 complete responses were analyzed. The scale has two factors, including Personal Coping and Social Coping, accounting for 58.3% of the variance. Personal Coping (19 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.958) represented the respondents' self-efficacy for independently executing coping strategies, whether through solving problems or changing the way they think about the situation. Social Coping (6 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.867) represented their confidence in executing coping strategies, which involved using social resources such as seeking external support, distraction, and avoiding loneliness. The CSES-My had reliable and valid psychometric properties, providing evidence for its utility in evaluating coping self-efficacy among parents of children with leukemia or lymphoma in Malaysia. The CSES-My is a valuable tool for nurses and other healthcare professionals investigating coping self-efficacy in Malay-speaking populations, and it may also aid in the development of future coping interventions.