title: A checklist for evaluating the methodological quality of validation studies on self-report instruments for physical activity and sedentary behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of methodological papers assessing physical activity instruments depends upon the rigor of a study's design.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We present a checklist to assess key criteria for instrument validation studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Medline/PubMed search was performed to identify guidelines for evaluating the methodological quality of instrument validation studies. Based upon the literature, a pilot version of a checklist was developed consisting of 21 items with 3 subscales: 1) quality of the reported data (9 items: assess whether the reported information is sufficient to make an unbiased assessment of the findings); 2) external validity of the results (3 items: assess the extent to which the findings are generalizable); 3) internal validity of the study (9 items: assess the rigor of the study design). The checklist was tested for interrater reliability and feasibility with 6 raters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Raters viewed the checklist as helpful for reviewing studies. They suggested minor wording changes for 8 items to clarify intent. One item was divided into 2 items for a total of 22 items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Checklists may be useful to assess the quality of studies designed to validate physical activity instruments. Future research should test checklist internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion validity.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagströmer
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Heather R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Bowles
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic