Self-Efficacy for Situational Communication Management Questionnaire (SESMQ)

The Self-Efficacy for Situational Communication Management Questionnaire (Jennings, 2005; Jennings et al, 2014) was developed to measure perceived self-efficacy for managing communication in adults with acquired hearing loss. For the purpose of developing the SESMQ, perceived self-efficacy was defined as “an individual’s judgment of his/her capabilities to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources and courses of action needed to meet the demands of the range of everyday difficult listening environments” (Jennings, 2005, p 13). The SESMQ items sample a range of communication environments; both public and private environments, as well as familiar and unfamiliar communication partners. It was developed to examine the effectiveness of a group audiologic rehabilitation program on perceived self-efficacy in communicating in everyday listening environments for adults with acquired hearing loss (Jennings, 2005). The SESMQ is an informative measure of perceived self-efficacy specific to communication for adults with acquired hearing loss. The SESMQ may prove useful in both clinical practice and in research.

How does it work?

The SESMQ contains 20 situations that are rated on 2 scales (hearing ability and perceived self-efficacy). Respondents rate how well they can hear from 0 (not well at all) to 10 (very well) and their degree of perceived self-efficacy (confidence) in managing communication in the situation from 0 (not confident at all) to 10 (very confident). Total scores on each scale can range from 0 to 200, with higher scores indicating greater hearing ability or perceived self-efficacy.

Psychometric Properties at a Glance

  • Factor structure*: Two-factor solution with hearing ability accounting for 46.4% of the variation and perceived self-efficacy (confidence) accounting for 11.6% of the variation in SESMQ scores
  • Internal consistency*: Cronbach’s α 0.94 for SESMQ; 0.93 for hearing ability scale; 0.94 for perceived self-efficacy (confidence) scale
  • Test-retest reliability**: ICC 0.94 for SESMQ total score; ICC 0.93 for hearing ability scale; ICC 0.94 for perceived self-efficacy (confidence) scale
  • *N=338 respondents; 200 M and 138 F; aged 50 to 93 years; BEHFPTA 45.8 dBHL; 157 hearing aid owners; from Canada and Australia
  • **N=40 respondents; 20 M and 20 F; aged 58 to 90 years; BEHFPTA 51.5 dBHL; all hearing aid owners; from Canada

Forms and Resources

The SESMQ is available for purchase through WORLDiscoveries.

  • Jennings, MB, Cheesman, MF, & Laplante-Lévesque, A. (2014 March/April). Psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Situational Communication Management Questionnaire (SESMQ). Ear & Hearing, 35(2), pp 221-229. doi: 10.1097/01.aud.0000441081.64281.b9. Abstract.
  • Jennings, M.B. (2005). Factors that influence outcomes from aural rehabilitation of older adults: The role of perceived self-efficacy. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. London, ON: The University of Western Ontario

Questions about SESMQ?

Mary Beth Jennings, PhD, and her team, developed the SESMQ. She is the director of the HearCare Audiologic Rehabilitation Laboratory and worked clinically in the area of adult audiologic rehabilitation for 13 years prior to the start of her academic career. She is an Associate Professor with the School of Communication Sciences & Disorders.