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Title: MEASUREMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTIVITY-RELATED PSYCHOSOCIAL MEASURES IN 8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD AFRICAN-AMERICAN GIRLS IN THE GIRLS HEALTH ENRICHMENT MULTISITE STUDY (GEMS).

Author
item SHERWOOD, NANCY - HEALTH PARTNERS RES FOUND
item TAYLOR, WENDELL - UNIV OF TX HLTH SCI CENTR
item Treuth Phd, Margarita
item KLESGES, LISA - UNIV OF TENNESSEE
item Baranowski, Thomas
item ZHOU, AINONG - GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV
item PRATT, CHARLOTTE - NAT HEART,LUNG&BLOOD INST
item MCCLANAHAN, BARBARA - UNIV OF MEMPHIS
item ROBINSON, THOMAS - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
item PRUITT, LESLIE - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
item MILLER, WAYNE - GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV

Submitted to: Preventive Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003
Publication Date: 5/1/2004
Citation: Sherwood, N.E., Taylor, W.C., Treuth Ph.D., M., Klesges, L.M., Baranowski, T., Zhou, A., Pratt, C., Mcclanahan, B., Robinson, T.N., Pruitt, L., Miller, W. 2004. Measurement characteristics of activity-related psychosocial measures in 8- to 10-year-old african-american girls in the girls health enrichment multisite study (gems). Preventive Medicine. 38 Suppl:S60-S68.

Interpretive Summary: The focus of this paper is the reliability and validity analyses of physical activity-related psychosocial questionnaires completed by 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls at baseline and follow-up assessments of pilot intervention studies in the Girls health Enrichment Multi-site Study (GEMS). Two hundred ten girls participated in the GEMS 12-week pilot studies and had their height and weight measured, wore an accelerometer for 3 days and completed a measure of their usual physical activity (PA) at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Sub-scales, derived from principal components analyses, were Activity Preference, Positive Expectancies, and Negative Expectancies for physical activity. In conclusion, the Activity Preference was a fairly reliable and valid measure. Further studies are needed to examine the utility of activity-related psychosocial measures in interventions to increase physical activity among preadolescent African-American girls.

Technical Abstract: This paper presents reliability and validity analyses of physical activity-related psychosocial questionnaires completed by 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls at baseline and follow-up assessments of pilot intervention studies in the Girls health Enrichment Multi-site Study (GEMS). Two hundred ten girls participated in the GEMS 12-week pilot studies and had their height and weight measured, wore an accelerometer for 3 days and completed a measure of their usual physical activity (PA) at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Subgroups of girls also completed physical activity-related psychosocial measures at these two time points including: (a) self-concept; (b) self-efficacy; (c) outcome expectancies; and d) preferences. Principal components analysis was conducted on the psychosocial measures obtained at baseline. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability were computed. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the baseline psychosocial measures with baseline physical activity measures and body mass index (BMI). The following sub-scales were derived: Activity Preference, Positive Expectancies and Negative Expectancies for physical activity. Physical Performance Self-Concept and Self-Efficacy for physical activity were kept as single dimensional scales. Sub-scales, derived from principal components analyses, were Activity Preference, Positive Expectancies, and Negative Expectancies for physical activity. Internal consistency estimates for the various scales were substantial to excellent (0.67-0.85), while test-retest reliability estimates were fair to moderate (0.22-0.56). Correlations between the PA psychosocial sub-scales and measured levels of activity measures showed evidence of convergent validity for the Activity Preference sub-scale, although social desirability may have influenced the significant associations observed. In conclusion, the Activity Preference was a fairly reliable and valid measure. Further studies are needed to examine the utility of activity-related psychosocial measures in interventions to increase physical activity among preadolescent African-American girls.