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Published on: March 7, 2019
Validity of a scale assessing the built environment for physical activity.
Jennifer L Gay1, Jessalyn Smith
1University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville, TX 78520, USA. Jennifer.L.Gay@uth.tmc.edu
American Journal of Health Behavior
|March 12, 2010
Summary
This study developed and validated a new 5-factor model for assessing perceptions of the built environment for physical activity. The findings support using sum scores for subscales in future research.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- The built environment significantly influences physical activity levels.
- Accurate measurement of perceived built environment is crucial for understanding this relationship.
- Existing self-report measures require validation for construct validity and reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the construct validity and reliability of current self-report items assessing built environment perceptions for physical activity.
- To develop and validate a refined measurement tool.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study with 479 adult participants.
- Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed.
- Internal consistency and nonparametric scaling were assessed to determine reliability.
Main Results:
- A robust 5-factor model emerged from the EFA.
- The identified factors demonstrated moderate to strong internal consistency and scaling reliability.
- The new structure provides a reliable framework for measuring built environment perceptions.
Conclusions:
- The validated 5-factor model offers a reliable instrument for research.
- Further studies are recommended to confirm these findings in diverse populations.
- Researchers should utilize sum scores for subscales to enhance analytical precision and power.
