Validation of scales measuring attitudes and norms related to mammography screening in women veterans

Health Psychol. 2005 Nov;24(6):555-66. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.6.555.

Abstract

Validation of psychosocial measures for use in mammography screening research has been given inadequate attention in the literature. The authors report on the validation of 5 measures examining 4 attitudinal constructs (i.e., pros, cons, outcome expectations, and cancer worries) and 1 social influence construct (i.e., subjective norms) in a 22-item inventory. The study participants consisted of a national, randomly sampled population of women veterans (n = 2,910). After minor revision of scales, the authors found independent measures for 4 constructs: pros, cons, cancer worries, and subjective norms. The authors concluded that these scales have acceptable psychometric properties; support construct validity; and provide brief, reliable, and valid measures of attitudes toward and norms regarding mammography screening. These scales may be useful for intervention research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Attitude to Health*
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Demography
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Guidelines as Topic
  • Humans
  • Mammography / methods*
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Registries
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Veterans / psychology*