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).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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).
  
  
  METHODS
  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).
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Health Partners Research Foundation, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1524, USA. Nancy.E.Sherwood@HealthPartners.com
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: Wendell C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Treuth
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Klesges
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.forename: Ainong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McClanahan
authors.forename: Thomas N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pruitt
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States