Children’s perceived cooking competencies in Mediterranean Countries: translation and psychometric properties of the CooC11 questionnaire
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Cooking skills are important determinants of diet quality, overall health, and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. However, no culturally adapted and validated versions of the CooC11 questionnaire were previously available for Mediterranean populations. This research objective was to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the CooC11 questionnaire assessing perceived cooking competence among children and adolescents in five Mediterranean countries (Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey). Methods A multicentre cross-sectional validation study was conducted across five Mediterranean countries following translation and cross-cultural adaptation procedures. The adapted questionnaire was assessed for factorial validity and reliability. Participants were recruited from public schools and third-sector associations in Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. A total of 1416 children and adolescents aged 8–14 years completed the questionnaire (mean age = 11.04 ± 2.18 years; 53% female). Factorial structure, internal consistency, and perceived cooking competence assessed using culturally adapted versions of the CooC11 questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the original two-factor structure. Internal consistency was evaluated using inter-item correlations, corrected item-total correlations, Cronbach's alfa, and Raykov's rho. Non-parametric descriptive, correlation, and group-comparison analyses were conducted at a significance level of 5%. Results Confirmatory factor analysis generally supported the original two-factor structure across countries, with most factor loadings exceeding the predefined threshold of 0.30. Internal consistency was acceptable to good across countries (Cronbach's α = 0.76–0.84), although lower factor loadings were observed for the measuring (0.285) and weighing (0.263) items in the Turkish version. Perceived cooking competence was moderate overall and significantly higher among females and older participants (P < 0.001). Conclusions The adapted CooC11 questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties and provides a culturally appropriate tool for assessing perceived cooking competence among children and adolescents in Mediterranean countries. The availability of harmonised versions in five Mediterranean languages facilitates international research on children's cooking competence and supports the evaluation of nutrition education and cooking-based interventions.
Source: Research Square
Authors: Vânia Costa, Cláudia Viegas, Inês M. Costa, Rute Borrego, Elena Carrillo-Alvarez, Begoña Angélica Caneda-Ferrón, Alicia Orta-Ramirez, Blanca Salinas-Roca, Eulàlia Vidal-Garcia, Maria Giulia Casucci, Miriam Rodríguez-Monforte, Tuba Eda Arpa Zemzemoğlu, Zafer Erbay, Mirella Zanetic, Maja Jukic Spika, Elda Vitanovic, Sofia Renzi, Giorgia Vici, Stefania Pucciarelli, Valeria Polzonetti, Silvia Vincenzetti
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204806310