title: Development of a 15-item scale to measure parental perceptions of their neighborhood.
abstract: Socioecological theory suggests that there are a range of influences that affect the physical activity levels of children, including parents' perceptions of the neighborhood. A questionnaire instrument to quantify parental neighborhood perceptions was developed for the Location of Children's Activity in Their Environment study as a potential predictor of children's physical activity. A literature review revealed a lack of appropriate instruments, many containing highly localized items. Following initial instrument development including pretesting, where items showed face and content validity, a two-phase pilot study was undertaken. Pilot testing investigated test-retest reliability (overall intraclass correlation coefficient = .75) and internal consistency (α = .62 and α = .73 for the two phases, respectively), finding that the instrument was acceptable overall although some changes in wording were made to specific items with low reliability and/or internal consistency. Using data from the first year of the Location of Children's Activity in Their Environment study, the instrument showed acceptable internal consistency (overall α = .73) and predictive validity (associated with time living in residence and walking to school) to be used in future studies. The scale was not found to be associated with child physical activity, which may be due to activity displacement. Proposed subscales for the neighborhood infrastructure and social aspects were marginal for internal consistency and a safety subscale was not acceptable in this regard. Given the impact of parental perceptions of the neighborhood, and its potential modifiable nature, a measure of it should be included in studies looking at the intensity and location of children's physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Society of New Zealand Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand robin.quigg@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quigg
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Cancer Society of New Zealand Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Anthony Ivor
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Reeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009520:New Zealand; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012574:Schools; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: built environment; health behavior; physical activity/exercise; psychometric testing; quantitative methods