Development and Preliminary Validation of the Adherence to Weight Control Questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
This study tests the psychometric properties of the Adherence to Weight Control Questionnaire, a new screening tool to measure treatment adherence (TAWC) and the risk of nonadherence to weight control (RNAWC) in adolescents.


METHODS
Participants are 92 adolescents (12-18 years old) from a pediatric obesity clinic. Construct validity were evaluated using a principal axis factoring method with varimax rotation. Reliability and criterion-related validity of both scales were also checked.


RESULTS
Both scales presented good reliability values (.770 and .908). Statistical analyses yielded a 1-factor solution for the RNAWC and a 4-factor solution for the TAWC. Criterion-related validity of scales was also checked.


CONCLUSIONS
Results showed that this theory-driven measure of adherence to weight control has adequate psychometric properties to support both research and the clinical practice.
Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal.
Pedro
P
Sousa
Pedro
P
Gaspar
Helena
H
Fonseca
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs