Background

Parental self-efficacy describes parents’ self-perceived competence in fulfilling their roles. The Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) is one of the most commonly used self-report instruments, allowing for parental self-efficacy measurement.

Methods

This paper summarizes the results of three studies (total N = 2,088) conducted to examine factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion validity of the Polish version of PSOC (PSOC-PL). The studies were carried out among parents (mothers and fathers) of typically developing fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds (Study 1, n = 1,404) as well as among parents of typically developing children aged 6 to 16 (Study 2, n = 248), parents of typically developing children and children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Study 3, n = 436, ages ranged from 6 to 13).

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis (Study 1) demonstrated an acceptable fit of the theorized two-factor model, with theorized Satisfaction and Efficacy factors. The subscales’ internal consistencies were satisfactory across all studies (Studies 1-3), and PSOC’s test-retest reliability (Study 2) over a three-week interval was very high. Parents of children with developmental disorders (Study 3) reported lower efficacy than parents of typically developing children.

Conclusions

The results of these three studies attest that the Polish version of PSOC is a reliable and valid measure of parental self-efficacy beliefs.