title: Development of a scale assessing Beliefs About ThirdHand Smoke (BATHS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Similarly to secondhand smoke (SHS), thirdhand smoke (THS) beliefs may be correlated with smoking behaviors and smokefree policies in the home. Thus, there is a need to develop and validate measures to assess beliefs about THS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A list of 19 items related to THS were generated by an expert panel and tested in a pilot study. Based on results from an exploratory factor analysis, two factors emerged: THS persistence in the environment and THS impact on health. The scale was reduced to nine items, which showed no differential item functioning by smoking status or smoking ban status in the home. The nine items and the two factor structure were tested in a validation sample from a smoke-free homes intervention that included THS educational materials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 9-item scale showed excellent internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit for the two factor solution in a low-income population. Tests of construct validity indicated differences due to exposure to the smoke-free homes intervention, by smoking status, whether participants own or rent their home, and smoking ban status in the home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BATHS scale offers researchers a valid and reliable tool to assess THS beliefs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haardörfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
authors.forename: Cam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escoffery
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
authors.forename: Łucja T
authors.initials: ŁT
authors.lastname: Bundy
authors.affiliation: Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Court, San Diego, CA 92182 USA.
authors.forename: Melbourne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hovell
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA.
authors.forename: Michelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kegler
keywords: Scale development; Secondhand/environmental exposure; Thirdhand smoke