Test-retest Reliability of a Questionnaire on Adolescent Motives for Physical Activity

Abstract

Background:Motives for physical activity are very important determinants for being physically active.The aim of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of motives for physical activity items from the HBSC questionnaire among adolescents and differences by gender, age group and country.Methods:We obtained data from male and female students aged 11or15 years old who participated in a test and retest study with a four-week interval in 2013 via the HBSC pilot study in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (n=580, 51.2% boys).We estimated the test-retest reliability of all 13 dichotomised motives by using Cohen’s Kappa statistic in the whole sample and stratified by gender, age group and country.Findings:We mainly observed strong or moderate correlations between test and retest for most motives.Weak correlations (0.1–0.3) were observed in two items (“to make new friends†and “to enjoy the feeling of using my bodyâ€) and a trivial correlation in the item “to improve my health†in the whole sample and also stratified by gender, age group and country.Discussion:The HBSC questionnaire seems to be a reliable instrument for measuring motives for physical activity among adolescents.