Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health-risk behavior among adolescents: evidence from the scientific literature.
We reviewed the existing empirical literature to assess cognitive and situational factors that may affect the validity of adolescents' self-reports of alcohol and other drug use, tobacco use, behaviors related to unintentional injuries and violence, dietary behaviors, physical activity, and sexual behavior. Specifically, we searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published in 1980 or later that examined the factors affecting self-report of the six categories of behavior listed above. We also searched for studies describing objective measures for each behavior. Self-reports of each of six types of health-risk behaviors are affected by both cognitive and situational factors. These factors, however, do not threaten the validity of self-reports of each type of behavior equally. The importance of assessing health-risk behaviors as part of research activities involving adolescents necessitates the use of self-report measures. Researchers should familiarize themselves with the threats to validity inherent in this type of assessment and design research that minimizes these threats as much as possible.
Brener
Nancy D
ND
Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. nad1@cdc.gov
Billy
John O G
JO
Grady
William R
WR
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000437:Alcoholism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder; D014754:Violence