Validity and Reliability of an Instrument Measuring Eating Habits, Weight-Related Health Awareness and Body Weight Perception among Malaysian TVET Students
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: A valid and reliable measurement instrument is a prerequisite for high-quality health behaviour research, yet instruments validated specifically for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) population in Malaysia remain very limited. This study reports the adaptation process and the validity and reliability evidence for a questionnaire measuring four weight-related constructs among vocational college students, namely perception of excess body weight, eating habits, weight-related health awareness and perceived benefits of physical activity. The instrument was adapted from the weight-related beliefs questionnaire developed by Riggs (2017) and published by McArthur, Riggs, Uribe and Spaulding (2018). It was translated from English into Malay following cross-cultural adaptation guidelines, reviewed by language and vocational education specialists, and screened by removing items with factor loadings below 0.50. A pilot study was conducted in May 2021 on one hundred students of a vocational college in Sabah representing four programmes of study. Construct validity was assessed through exploratory factor analysis, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient in SPSS version 26. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted separately for each construct. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin values ranged from 0.70 to 0.78 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant for every construct (p < 0.001). Factor loadings of retained items ranged from 0.50 to 0.81, providing preliminary evidence of construct validity. The reliability coefficients of the four constructs were at a good level, namely 0.79 for perception of excess body weight, 0.80 for eating habits, 0.83 for weight-related health awareness and 0.81 for perceived benefits of physical activity. Because the pilot provides approximately 1.5 respondents per item at the screening stage, the factor structure is preliminary and requires confirmation in an independent sample. Subject to that qualification, the instrument is suitable for use with the Malaysian TVET population, and the study contributes a documented adaptation that researchers and vocational institutions can use for student health monitoring and intervention evaluation.
Source: Open Journal of Social Sciences
Authors: Anita Md. Yasin, Nurul Aisyah Kamrozzaman
Institution: UNITAR International University
Language: English
Subfield: Research and Theory
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204222527