Development and test-retest reliability of a research instrument designed to evaluate school-based HIV/AIDS interventions in South Africa and Tanzania.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports on the development and psychometric properties of an instrument to evaluate school-based HIV/ AIDS interventions aimed at adolescents in three African sites.


METHODS
The instrument was developed in a series of steps that involved a review of existing instruments; use of empirical data and secondary literature supporting an association between the variables of interest and sexual intercourse or condom use; operationalizing the constructs of the theoretical model employed; and using the objectives of the intervention. Test-retest reliability studies were conducted at each site.


RESULTS
The questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency and adequate test-retest reliability. Cronbach's alpha was higher than 0.50 for all the 10 psychosocial scales, while Cohen's kappa showed poor to substantial test-retest reliability on the sexual behaviour items (kappa = 0.14 to 0.69).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the instrument had sufficient test-retest reliability and internal consistency.
Mũkoma
Wanjirũ
W
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, South Africa.
Flisher
Alan J
AJ
Helleve
Arnfinn
A
Aarø
Leif Edvard
LE
Mathews
Catherine
C
Kaaya
Sylvia
S
Klepp
Knut-Inge
KI
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012574:Schools; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology