Analysis

The Perceived Health Competence Scale (PHCS) measures an individual’s belief in their ability to take care of their health and make healthy choices. The PHCS is important for understanding personal strength and the strategies people use to manage their health.

Purpose

The main purpose of the PHCS is to assess individuals’ self-perception regarding their ability to manage their health.

Scoring

The PHCS consists of 8 questions rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score is obtained by summing the scores of the individual items.

References

Smith, M. S., Wallston, K. A., & Smith, C. A. (1995). The development and validation of the Perceived Health Competence Scale. Health Education Research, 10(1), 51–64.
Wallston, K. A. (1992). Hocus-pocus, the focus isn’t strictly on locus: Rotter’s social learning theory modified for health. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 16(2), 183–199.
Wallston, K. A., Stein, M. J., & Smith, C. A. (1994). Form C of the MHLC scales: A condition-specific measure of locus of control. Journal of Personality Assessment, 63(3), 534–553.