Consulting with children in the development of self-efficacy and recall tools related to nutrition and physical activity.
OBJECTIVE
This article chronicles our efforts to develop an instrument with and for children-complete with insights, multiple iterations, and missteps along the way. The instruments we developed assess children's self-efficacy and recall related to healthy eating and physical activity.


METHODS
Five focus groups were held with 39 children to discuss the evolving instrument.


RESULTS
A nine-item self-efficacy instrument and a 10-item recall instrument were developed with Flesch-Kincaid grade levels of 1.8 and 4.0, respectively, which fifth graders can complete in less than 5 min.


CONCLUSIONS
When assessing children in clinical practice or research, we should use instruments that have been developed with children's feedback and are child-centered. Without that assurance, assessment results can be questionable.
College of Nursing, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Jane H
JH
Lassetter
Gaye
G
Ray
Martha
M
Driessnack
Mary
M
Williams
D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Child-centered; instrument; instrument development; nutrition; physical activity; questionnaire; self-efficacy