Test-retest reliability of the Self-Efficacy in School Settings (SESS) scale

Self-efficacy can effect one's performance as a practicing occupational therapist in a school-based setting. The purpose of this study was to measure the test-retest reliability of the Self-Efficacy in School Settings (SESS) scale and to compare the level of self-efficacy of students who completed a level I pediatric fieldwork versus those students who did not. This scale was developed by Mary B. Harris and Sidney T. Alley (2000) to assess how competent one feels to practice occupational therapy in a school-based setting. This study represents the process of standardizing the SESS scale.; The participants of this study consisted of 109 occupational therapy students. The SESS scale was administered twice with a two-week interval to the occupational therapy students. The results were compared from the first administration to the second and the results of the first administration were used to compare the scores of the students who completed a pediatric fieldwork experience and those students who did not.; A Pearson product moment correlation was used to calculate the test-retest reliability coefficient. A T-test was used to compare the scores of those students who completed a pediatric fieldwork and those who did not. The results of this study indicate that the test-retest reliability coefficient is .65 and those students who completed a pediatric level I fieldwork scored significantly higher than those who did not.; The authors of this study conclude from the findings that the SESS scale should be used with caution when determining the level of one's self-efficacy over time, that it is difficult to measure one's self-efficacy, and that fieldwork plays an important role in a student's academic stage of professional development. Additionally, revisions to the scale should be made to include additional areas that pertain to the school-based setting.