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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Development of new physical activity and sedentary behavior change self-efficacy questionnaires using item response
Russell Jago1, Tom Baranowski, Kathy Watson
1Department of Exercise, Nutrition & Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TP, UK. russ.jago@bris.ac.uk.
Summary
New scales measuring physical activity and sedentary behavior self-efficacy show reasonable validity in boys, but require further development for girls. Item Response Modeling improved measurement accuracy for physical activity interventions.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Physical activity self-efficacy (PASE) is theoretically linked to increased physical activity, yet this association is underreported in youth.
- Measurement limitations may explain the weak observed effects of PASE on physical activity in adolescents.
- Item Response Modeling (IRM) offers a potential solution for developing more accurate self-efficacy scales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate new scales for physical activity and sedentary behavior change self-efficacy using IRM.
- To compare the validity of these new scales against accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior.
- To assess the psychometric properties of the newly developed scales.
Main Methods:
- Developed new items for physical activity and sedentary behavior change self-efficacy.
- Administered scales to 714 sixth-grade students across seven US cities.
- Utilized IRM and Classical Test Theory (CTT) for scale analysis, with a subset of 83 participants wearing accelerometers.
Main Results:
- The new PASE scales demonstrated good discrimination between high and low self-efficacy levels.
- Correlations between PASE scales and accelerometer data were weak for overall activity and moderate-to-vigorous activity.
- Sedentary behavior scales showed moderate correlations with light physical activity and sedentary behavior in boys, but not girls.
Conclusions:
- New IRM-derived scales offer a more concise measurement of physical activity and sedentary behavior self-efficacy.
- The scales demonstrate reasonable validity for boys, indicating potential for targeted interventions.
- Further refinement is necessary to develop comparable scales for girls and enhance intervention applicability.
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