VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF QUESTIONNAIRES MEASURING LEISURE – TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND FACTORS OF THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of questionnaires measuring leisure – time physical activity and factors of theory of planned behavior which included intension, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Two steps were used: test – retest reliability and exploratory factor analysis. Sixty adolescents participated in the test – retest procedure and the mean age of participants was 14.78 ± 0.90 years old.  Six hundred sixty-eight adolescents participated in the exploratory factor analysis andthe mean age of participants was 14.48 ± 1.55 years old. The results found that the questionnaires measuring leisure-time physical activity and factors of theory of planned behavior have acceptable test – retest reliability, concurrent validity, construct validity and internal consistency reliability. The questionnaires have suitable psychometric properties and can be used to assess leisure-time physical activity, intension, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral controlabout physical activity in adolescents. In this study we found that these valid and reliable measures of these constructs are useful for conducting research and interventions that target health behavior changes in adolescent population. Health practitioners such as exercise scientists and nurses can use these constructs to try to effect changes in physical activity behavior among adolescents.