ERIC Number: EJ882623
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0744-8481
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Construct Validity and Reliability of College Students' Responses to the Reasons for Smoking Scale
Fiala, Kelly Ann; D'Abundo, Michelle Lee; Marinaro, Laura Marie
Journal of American College Health, v58 n6 p571-577 May-Jun 2010
When utilizing self-assessments to determine motives for health behaviors, it is essential that the resulting data demonstrate sound psychometric properties. The purpose of this research was to assess the reliability and construct validity of college students' responses to the Reasons for Smoking Scale (RFS). Confirmatory factor analyses and internal consistency reliability coefficients were completed. The data of 110 college students who smoke fell short of providing a good fit, [chi][squared](130) = 343.856, "root mean" square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.123, comparative fit "index" (CFI) = 0.793, Tucker-Lewis "index" (TLI) = 0.756. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.615 to 0.912. Three subscales improved reliability by removing an item. Although the fit indices showed improvement with these modifications, good model fit was still not achieved, [chi][squared](50) = 148.059, RMSEA = 0.134, CFI = 0.872, TLI = 0.831. Although other populations' responses to the RFS have demonstrated validity and reliability, this college population's did not. Health educators should use caution when interpreting the results of college students' responses to the RFS because they may be incomplete and/or inaccurate. (Contains 4 tables.)
Descriptors: College Students, Smoking, Health Behavior, Construct Validity, Validity, Test Reliability, Measures (Individuals), Psychometrics, Factor Analysis, Goodness of Fit, Health Education, Student Attitudes
Heldref Publications. 1319 Eighteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-1802. Tel: 800-365-9753; Tel: 202-296-6267; Fax: 202-293-6130; e-mail: subscribe@heldref.org; Web site: http://www.heldref.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A