Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities – SDSCA
A brief self-report instrument designed to measure the frequency of performing diabetes self-care activities over the preceding seven days.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities – SDSCA was developed by Deborah T. Toobert, Sarah E. Hampson, Russell E. Glasgow (2000). It is designed to measure Diabetes self-care behaviors. The scale is intended for use with Adults with diabetes.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: General Diet, Specific Diet, Exercise, Blood-Glucose Testing, Foot Care.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| General Diet | 1,2 | 2 |
| Specific Diet | 3,4 | 2 |
| Exercise | 5,6 | 2 |
| Blood-Glucose Testing | 7,8 | 2 |
| Foot Care | 9,10 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = 0 days, 1 = 1 day, 2 = 2 days, 3 = 3 days, 4 = 4 days, 5 = 5 days, 6 = 6 days, 7 = 7 days.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Adherence (Mean days per week): 0 – 2
- Moderate Adherence (Mean days per week): 3 – 5
- High Adherence (Mean days per week): 6 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Varies by subscale (typically 0.40 to 0.78).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.