TOPSE for babies in Norwegian: Examining the reliability of a tool to measure parenting self-efficacy

Abstract Background Parents’ confidence in their parenting abilities and self-efficacy (PSE) is an important factor for parenting practices. The Tool to measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE) is a questionnaire created to evaluate parenting programs by measuring PSE. Initially, it was designed for parents with children between 0-6 years old. A modified version specifically for parents of infants aged 0-6 months (TOPSE for babies) is currently being piloted. In this study, we have investigated the reliability of the Norwegian version. Methods The study included 123 parents of children aged 0-18 months who completed a digital version of the TOPSE questionnaire. Professional translators performed the translation from English to Norwegian and a back translation in collaboration with the author group. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for each of the questionnaire’s six domains, and a reliability analysis was conducted using a Bayesian framework for the total sample (parents of children aged 0-18 months) and specifically for the parents of the youngest group of children (0-6 months). Results The overall Bayesian alpha coefficient for the six domains ranged from 0.54 to 0.83 for the entire sample, and from 0.63 to 0.86 for parents with children aged 0-6 months. For two of the domains, one item in each proved to primarily contribute to the low alpha coefficients and removing them improved the reliability, especially for parents of the youngest group of children. Conclusions Reliable tools to assess PSE and evaluate parenting programs is important. The Norwegian version of TOPSE for babies seems to be a reliable tool for measuring PSE, although there are variations across the children’s age groups and domains. Key messages • The findings from this study indicate that TOPSE in Norwegian is a reliable tool for assessing PSE. • While our findings are promising, further research is warranted to establish a more robust evaluation, across both mothers and fathers, parental age and socioeconomic groups.