Adaptation and validation of an Estonian version of the general self-efficacy scale (ESES)

General self-efficacy pertains to the subjective confidence of bring able t o master stressful demands by means of adaptive action. A strong sense of p ersonal efficacy is related to better health, higher achievement, and more social integration. General self-efficacy is measured with a ten-item scale by Schwarzer and Jerusalem (1995) which has been proven reliable and valid in Various field studies. The aim of the present study was to develop an E stonian version of this instrument. A total of 670 participants (378 women and 292 men) consisting of three subgroups (290 healthy individuals. 238 me ntally ill and 152 physically ill patients) Filled in a questionnaire conta ining the ten-item Estonian Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), and further items a ssessing related psychoemotional variables such as depression, anxiety, str ess, affectivity, self-control and irrational beliefs. The psychometric pro perties of the ESES turned out to be satisfactory, and reliability and vali dity indices were mostly in line with theoretical assumptions and empirical results of self-efficacy research. In this context, the capacity of the ES ES to discriminate between health-specific subgroup, its association with p sychoemotional well-being and the clinical importance of generalized compet ence expectancies are also discussed.