Multi-Validity Process and Factor-Invariance. Perceived Self-Efficacy-Scale for the Prevention of Obesity in Preteens

• Published in: Children (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 6; p. 504
• Main Authors: Gómez-Peresmitré, Gilda, Platas Acevedo, Romana Silvia, Pineda-García, Gisela, Guzmán-Saldaña, Rebeca, León-Hernández, Rodrigo Cesar, Calleja, Nazira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 14.06.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Child development; Children & youth; Electronic games; factorial invariance; factorial model; Girls; Health care; Hypotheses; Malnutrition; multi-validity process; Obesity; obesity prevention; Overweight; Pediatrics; Population; Quantitative psychology; Self-efficacy; Teenagers; Validity; Weight control; Mexico; Baja California Mexico
• ISSN: 2227-9067; 2227-9067
• DOI: 10.3390/children8060504

Given the lack of scales with a robust psychometric assessment of self-efficacy related to obesity in early adolescence, we aimed to obtain an instrument with high-quality validity and reliability items. Nonrandom samples (N = 2371) classified boys (1174, M = 12.83, SD = 0.84) and girls (1197, M = 12.68, SD = 0.78) from Mexico City and some cities of the Mexican Republic with obesity rates near to the national level mean. A multi-validity process and structural invariance analysis using the Perceived Self-efficacy Scale for Obesity Prevention were performed. A two-factor—physical activity and healthy eating—model with high effect-sized values—girls R2 (0.88, p < 0.01) and boys R2 (0.87, p < 0.01)—were obtained. Each factor explained more than half of the variance with high-reliability coefficients in each group and acceptable adjustment rates. The self-efficacy scale proved to have only girls, an invariant factor structure, or a psychometric equivalence between the groups. The obtained scale showed that a two-factor structure is feasible and appropriate, according to the highest quality of validity and reliability.