Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale in Older People Undergoing Lower Extremity Arthroplasty

Current self-efficacy scales for physical activity focus on moderate-to-vigorous exercise in healthy adults, leaving limited options for those engaged in light-to-moderate physical activity. This study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES-J) tailored for light-to-moderate-intensity activities and to assess its validity and reliability. Preoperative and postoperative patients undergoing lower-limb arthroplasty (113 participants) were evaluated using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) to establish criterion-related validity. The revised version of the Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity, Oxford Hip Score, or Oxford Knee Score, and accelerometers were used to test the hypotheses. The ESES-J demonstrated strong internal consistency, good intraclass coefficient scores, and no systematic errors in the Bland–Altman analysis. The correlation with the GSES was moderate, confirming 80% of the hypotheses. The ESES-J demonstrated robust reliability and validity. Understanding self-efficacy among individuals with disabilities may lead to personalized health support to improve physical activity levels.