Validity of a United Kingdom instrument in the United States: Assessing the transferability of theory of planned behavior measures

Fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is consistently linked with positive health outcomes: lower cancer risks, better cardiovascular health, lower BMI. As such, it is important for researchers to be able to accurately measure determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption. This study addressed the transferability of a questionnaire originally developed to assess the determinants of healthy eating in the United Kingdom. The questionnaire presented in this discussion is a modified version of the original (Conner, Norman, and Bell, 2002). Specifically, this modified version queried respondents' about four main determinants of F&V consumption: 1.) attitudes, 2.) perceptions of social influence, 3.) perceptions of behavioral control, and 4.) intentions to consume F&Vs (i.e., constructs of the theory of planned behavior). This session will provide an overview of the modified questionnaire; a discussion of how the questionnaire was used in a federally funded, U.S.-based study; and an assessment of the transferability of the questionnaire to a U.S. population. Initial analyses indicate that the instrument is transferable, and may prove a useful tool for assessing the determinants of F&V consumption in the United States. Specifically, factor analyses supported construct and discriminant validity for subscales measuring all four consumption determinants. Most of the internal consistency estimates met acceptable social research levels (Cronbach alphas between .79 and .94). Only the subscale measuring perceptions of behavioral control posted a low internal consistency statistic (.71). Based on these findings, this session will discuss the utility of the modified questionnaire for U.S.-based audiences, including its strengths and limitations.