Psychometric Properties of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Instrument in Brazilian College Students

Correspondence address: Celina Aparecida Gonçalves Lima. Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros. Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas. Av. Dr. Rui Braga, s/n., vila Mauriceia. Montes Claros-MG, Brazil. CEP 39.401-089. E-mail: celina.prof@bol.com.br

Celina Aparecida Gonçalves Lima is a Professor of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros-MG, Brazil.

Maria de Fatima de Matos Maia is a Professor of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros-MG, Brazil.

Maria Fernanda Santos Figueiredo Brito is a Professor of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros-MG, Brazil.

Lucineia de Pinho is a Professor of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros-MG, Brazil.

Marise Fagundes Silveira is a Professor of the Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros-MG, Brazil.

Authors’ Contribution: All of the authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design of this study, to data analysis and interpretation, and to the manuscript revision and approval of the final version. All authors assume public responsibility for the content of this manuscript.

Tables (6)

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Table 1
Convergent validity, mean (M), and standard deviation (SD) of domain scores by gender of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) instrument

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Table 2
Internal consistency analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) domains

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Domain/Item Likert scale kappa Personal safety How often do you wear a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else? 1-5 0.58 How often do you wear a seat belt when driving a car? 0-5 0.78 During the past 12 months, how many times did you ride a motorcycle? 0-4 0.66 When you rode a motorcycle during the past 12 months, how often did you wear a helmet? 0-5 0.48 During the past 12 months, how many times did you ride a bicycle? 0-4 0.64 When you rode a bicycle during the past 12 months, how often did you wear a helmet? 0-5 0.57 During the past 12 months, how many times did you go boating or swimming? 0-4 0.79 When you went boating or swimming during the past 12 months, how often did you drink alcohol? 0-5 0.58 During the past 30 days, how many times did you ride in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol? 1-5 0.73 During the past 30 days, how many times did you drive a car or other vehicle when you had been drinking alcohol? 1-5 0.74 Violence During the past 30 days, on how many days did you carry a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club? Do not count carrying a weapon as part of your job. 1-5 0.65 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you carry a gun? Do not count carrying a gun as part of your job. 1-5 0.66 During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight? 1-8 0.42 During the past 12 months, with whom did you fight? 0-5 0.39 During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight in which you were injured and had to be treated by a doctor or nurse? 1-6 0.00 Suicide intent During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide? 1-2* 0.34 During the past 12 months, did you make a plan about how you would attempt suicide? 1-2* 1 During the past 12 months, how many times did you actually attempt suicide? 1-5 1 If you attempted suicide during the past 12 months, did any attempt result in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse? 0-2 0.00 Tobbaco use Have you ever tried cigarette smoking, even one or two puffs? 1-2* 0.73

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Domain/Item Likert scale kappa How old were you when you smoked a whole cigarette for the first? 0-7 0.84 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke cigarettes? 1-7 0.87 During the past 30 days, on the days you smoked, how many cigarettes did you smoke per day? 0-6 0.71 Have you ever smoked cigarettes regularly, that is, at least one cigarette every day for 30 days? 1-2* 0.00 How old were you when you first started smoking cigarettes regularly (at least one cigarette every day for 30 days)? 0-7 0.66 Have you ever tried to quit smoking cigarettes? 1-2* 0.64 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you use chewing tobacco or snuff, such as Redman, Levi Garrett, Beechnut, Skoal, Skoal Bandits, or Copenhagen? 1-7 1 Alcoholic drink consumption How old were you when you had your first drink of alcohol other than a few sips? 0-7 0.79 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink of alcohol? 1-7 0.76 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours? 1-7 0.83 Marijuana use During your life, how many times have you used marijuana? 1-7 0.89 How old were you when you tried marijuana for the first time? 0-7 0.89 During the past 30 days, how many times did you use marijuana? 1-6 -0.01 Other drugs During your life, how many times have you used any form of cocaine, including powder, crack, or freebase? 1-7 0.85 How old were you when you tried any form of cocaine, including powder, rack, or freebase, for the first time? 0-7 0.66 During the past 30 days, how many times did you use any form of cocaine, including powder, crack, or freebase? 1-6 1 During your life, how many times have you used the crack or freebase forms of cocaine? 1-7 1 During your life, how many times have you sniffed glue, or breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to get high? 1-7 0.43 During your life, how many times have you taken steroid pills or shots without a doctor’s prescription? 1-7 1 During your life, how many times have you used any other type of illegal drug, such as LSD, PCP, ecstasy, mushrooms, speed, ice, or heroin? 1-7 0.79 During the past 30 days, how many times have you used any other type of illegal drug, such as LSD, PCP, ecstasy, mushrooms, speed, ice, or heroin? 1-6 1 During the past 30 days, how many times have you used any illegal drug in combination with drinking alcohol? 1-6 0.00

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Domain/Item Likert scale kappa During your life, how many times have you used a needle to inject any illegal drug into your body? 1-3 1 Sexual activity How old were you when you had sexual intercourse for the first time? 0-7 0.94 During your life, with how many females have you had sexual intercourse? 0-6 0.94 During the past 3 months, with how many females have you had sexual intercourse 0-7 0.94 During your life, with how many males have you had sexual intercourse? 0-6 1 During the past 3 months, with how many males have you had sexual intercourse 0-7 0.94 During the past 30 days, how many times did you have sexual intercourse? 1-6 0.78 During the past 30 days, how often did you or your partner use a condom? 0-5 0.82 The last time you had sexual intercourse, did you or your partner use a condom? 0-2 0.73 Did you drink alcohol or use drugs before you had sexual intercourse the last time? 0-2 0.45 The last time you had sexual intercourse, what method did you or your partner use to prevent pregnancy? 0-7 0.87 How many times have you been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant? 0-3 0.88 During your life, have you ever been forced to have sexual intercourse against your will? 1-2* 1 How old were you the first time you were forced to have sexual intercourse against your will? 0-8 1 How old were you the last time you were forced to have sexual intercourse against your will? 0-8 0.85 Have you ever had your blood tested for the AIDS virus/HIV infection? 1-2* 0.94 Body weight How do you describe your weight? 1-5 0.84 Which of the following are you trying to do about your weight? 1-4 0.51 During the past 30 days, did you diet to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight? 1-2* 0.54 During the past 30 days, did you exercise to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight? 1-2* 0.51 During the past 30 days, did you vomit or take laxatives to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight? 1-2* 0.26 During the past 30 days, did you take diet pills to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight? 1-2* 0.69 What is your height? (In inches.) - - What is your weight? (In pounds.) - - Feeding Yesterday, how many times did you eat fruit? 1-4 0.16 Yesterday, how many times did you drink fruit juice? 1-4 0,16

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Domain/Item Likert scale kappa Yesterday, how many times did you eat green salad? 1-4 0.52 Yesterday, how many times did you eat cooked vegetables? 1-4 0.33 Yesterday, how many times did you eat hamburger, hot dogs, or sausage? 1-4 0.34 Yesterday, how many times did you eat French fries or potato chips? 1-4 0.24 Yesterday, how many times did you eat cookies, doughnuts, pie, or cake? 1-4 0.42 Physical activity On how many of the past 7 days did you exercise or participate in sports activities for at least 20 minutes that made you sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, jogging, swimming laps, tennis, fast bicycling, or similar aerobic activities? 1-8 0.51 On how many of the past 7 days did you do stretching exercises, such as toe touching, knee bending, or leg stretching? 1-8 0.54 On how many of the past 7 days did you do exercises to strengthen or tone your muscles, such as push-ups, situps, or weight lifting? 1-8 0.74 On how many of the past 7 days did you walk or bicycle for at least 30 minutes at a time? (Include walking or bicycling to or from class or work.) 1-8 0.44 During this school year, on how many college sports teams (intramural or extramural) did you participate? 1-4 0.83 *Note. Dichotomous items

Domain				Scale Range (Min. - Max.)		Female (M ± SD)		Male (M ± SD)		P-value	Cohen’s d Index
Personal safety (PS)				(0 - 5)		1.40 ± 0.48		1.65 ± 0.53		0.000 *	0.50
Violence (V)				(0 - 8)		0.85 ± 0.21		0.88 ± 0.28		0.049 *	0.14
Suicide intent (SI)				(0 - 5)		0.84 ± 0.23		0.82 ± 0.16		0.804	0.10
Tobacco use (TU)				(0 - 7)		0.90 ± 0.37		1.06 ± 0.55		0.000 *	1.92
Alcoholic drink consumption (ADC)				(0 - 7)		2.25 ± 1.28		2.73 ± 1.42		0.000 *	0.37
Marijuana use (MU)				(0 - 7)		0.74 ± 0.40		0.96 ± 0.90		0.000 *	0.36
Other drug use (ODU)				(0 - 7)		0.92 ± 0.10		0.95 ± 0.23		0.001 *	0.20
Sexual activity (SA)				(0 - 8)		1.12 ± 0.65		1.44 ± 0.63		0.000 *	0.50
Body weight (BW)				(1 - 5)		2.06 ± 0.30		2.08 ± 0.26		0.482	0.07
Feeding (F)				(1 - 4)		2.41 ± 0.38		2.39 ± 0.39		0.314	0.06
Physical activity (PA)				(1 - 8)		6.0 ± 1.24		5.57 ± 1.52		0.000 *	0.32

	PS	V	SI	TU	ADC	MU	ODU	AT	BW	F	PA
PS	1
V	0.11 *	1
SI	0.06	0.16 *	1
TU	0.10 *	0.19 *	0.12 *	1
ADC	0.26 *	0.20 *	0.13 *	0.42 *	1
MU	0.08 *	0.15 *	0.15 *	0.41 *	0.26 *	1
ODU	0.07 *	0.15 *	0.08 *	0.36 *	0.26 *	0.54 *	1
SA	0.26 *	0.16 *	0.07 *	0.32 *	0.36 *	0.20 *	0.18 *	1
BW	-0.08 *	-0.11 *	-0.08 *	-0.08 *	-0.11 *	-0.05 *	-0.10 *	-0.06	1
F	0.11 *	0.05	-0.03	0.04	0.11 *	0.02	0.02	-0.01	0.10 *	1
PA	-0.12 *	-0.05	-0.04	0.01	-0.02	-0.04	-0.06	-0.06	0.21 *	0.13 *	1

Domain	Cronbach’s Alpha	CCI
Personal safety	0.44	0.86
Violence	0.45	0.55
Suicide intent	0.70	0.26
Tobacco use	0.60	0.94
Alcoholic drink consumption	0.66	0.95
Marijuana use	0.77	0.94
Other drug use	0.71	0.87
Sexual activity	0.78	0.98
Body weight	0.11	0.77
Feeding	0.42	0.80
Physical activity	0.70	0.85
Overall scale	0.77	-

Domain/Item	Likert scale	kappa
Personal safety
How often do you wear a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else?	1-5	0.58
How often do you wear a seat belt when driving a car?	0-5	0.78
During the past 12 months, how many times did you ride a motorcycle?	0-4	0.66
When you rode a motorcycle during the past 12 months, how often did you wear a helmet?	0-5	0.48
During the past 12 months, how many times did you ride a bicycle?	0-4	0.64
When you rode a bicycle during the past 12 months, how often did you wear a helmet?	0-5	0.57
During the past 12 months, how many times did you go boating or swimming?	0-4	0.79
When you went boating or swimming during the past 12 months, how often did you drink alcohol?	0-5	0.58
During the past 30 days, how many times did you ride in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol?	1-5	0.73
During the past 30 days, how many times did you drive a car or other vehicle when you had been drinking alcohol?	1-5	0.74
Violence
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you carry a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club? Do not count carrying a weapon as part of your job.	1-5	0.65
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you carry a gun? Do not count carrying a gun as part of your job.	1-5	0.66
During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight?	1-8	0.42
During the past 12 months, with whom did you fight?	0-5	0.39
During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight in which you were injured and had to be treated by a doctor or nurse?	1-6	0.00
Suicide intent
During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?	1-2*	0.34
During the past 12 months, did you make a plan about how you would attempt suicide?	1-2*	1
During the past 12 months, how many times did you actually attempt suicide?	1-5	1
If you attempted suicide during the past 12 months, did any attempt result in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse?	0-2	0.00
Tobbaco use
Have you ever tried cigarette smoking, even one or two puffs?	1-2*	0.73

Domain/Item	Likert scale	kappa
How old were you when you smoked a whole cigarette for the first?	0-7	0.84
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke cigarettes?	1-7	0.87
During the past 30 days, on the days you smoked, how many cigarettes did you smoke per day?	0-6	0.71
Have you ever smoked cigarettes regularly, that is, at least one cigarette every day for 30 days?	1-2*	0.00
How old were you when you first started smoking cigarettes regularly (at least one cigarette every day for 30 days)?	0-7	0.66
Have you ever tried to quit smoking cigarettes?	1-2*	0.64
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you use chewing tobacco or snuff, such as Redman, Levi Garrett, Beechnut, Skoal, Skoal Bandits, or Copenhagen?	1-7	1
Alcoholic drink consumption
How old were you when you had your first drink of alcohol other than a few sips?	0-7	0.79
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink of alcohol?	1-7	0.76
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?	1-7	0.83
Marijuana use
During your life, how many times have you used marijuana?	1-7	0.89
How old were you when you tried marijuana for the first time?	0-7	0.89
During the past 30 days, how many times did you use marijuana?	1-6	-0.01
Other drugs
During your life, how many times have you used any form of cocaine, including powder, crack, or freebase?	1-7	0.85
How old were you when you tried any form of cocaine, including powder, rack, or freebase, for the first time?	0-7	0.66
During the past 30 days, how many times did you use any form of cocaine, including powder, crack, or freebase?	1-6	1
During your life, how many times have you used the crack or freebase forms of cocaine?	1-7	1
During your life, how many times have you sniffed glue, or breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to get high?	1-7	0.43
During your life, how many times have you taken steroid pills or shots without a doctor’s prescription?	1-7	1
During your life, how many times have you used any other type of illegal drug, such as LSD, PCP, ecstasy, mushrooms, speed, ice, or heroin?	1-7	0.79
During the past 30 days, how many times have you used any other type of illegal drug, such as LSD, PCP, ecstasy, mushrooms, speed, ice, or heroin?	1-6	1
During the past 30 days, how many times have you used any illegal drug in combination with drinking alcohol?	1-6	0.00

Domain/Item	Likert scale	kappa
During your life, how many times have you used a needle to inject any illegal drug into your body?	1-3	1
Sexual activity
How old were you when you had sexual intercourse for the first time?	0-7	0.94
During your life, with how many females have you had sexual intercourse?	0-6	0.94
During the past 3 months, with how many females have you had sexual intercourse	0-7	0.94
During your life, with how many males have you had sexual intercourse?	0-6	1
During the past 3 months, with how many males have you had sexual intercourse	0-7	0.94
During the past 30 days, how many times did you have sexual intercourse?	1-6	0.78
During the past 30 days, how often did you or your partner use a condom?	0-5	0.82
The last time you had sexual intercourse, did you or your partner use a condom?	0-2	0.73
Did you drink alcohol or use drugs before you had sexual intercourse the last time?	0-2	0.45
The last time you had sexual intercourse, what method did you or your partner use to prevent pregnancy?	0-7	0.87
How many times have you been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant?	0-3	0.88
During your life, have you ever been forced to have sexual intercourse against your will?	1-2*	1
How old were you the first time you were forced to have sexual intercourse against your will?	0-8	1
How old were you the last time you were forced to have sexual intercourse against your will?	0-8	0.85
Have you ever had your blood tested for the AIDS virus/HIV infection?	1-2*	0.94
Body weight
How do you describe your weight?	1-5	0.84
Which of the following are you trying to do about your weight?	1-4	0.51
During the past 30 days, did you diet to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight?	1-2*	0.54
During the past 30 days, did you exercise to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight?	1-2*	0.51
During the past 30 days, did you vomit or take laxatives to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight?	1-2*	0.26
During the past 30 days, did you take diet pills to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight?	1-2*	0.69
What is your height? (In inches.)	-	-
What is your weight? (In pounds.)	-	-
Feeding
Yesterday, how many times did you eat fruit?	1-4	0.16
Yesterday, how many times did you drink fruit juice?	1-4	0,16

Domain/Item	Likert scale	kappa
Yesterday, how many times did you eat green salad?	1-4	0.52
Yesterday, how many times did you eat cooked vegetables?	1-4	0.33
Yesterday, how many times did you eat hamburger, hot dogs, or sausage?	1-4	0.34
Yesterday, how many times did you eat French fries or potato chips?	1-4	0.24
Yesterday, how many times did you eat cookies, doughnuts, pie, or cake?	1-4	0.42
Physical activity
On how many of the past 7 days did you exercise or participate in sports activities for at least 20 minutes that made you sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, jogging, swimming laps, tennis, fast bicycling, or similar aerobic activities?	1-8	0.51
On how many of the past 7 days did you do stretching exercises, such as toe touching, knee bending, or leg stretching?	1-8	0.54
On how many of the past 7 days did you do exercises to strengthen or tone your muscles, such as push-ups, situps, or weight lifting?	1-8	0.74
On how many of the past 7 days did you walk or bicycle for at least 30 minutes at a time? (Include walking or bicycling to or from class or work.)	1-8	0.44
During this school year, on how many college sports teams (intramural or extramural) did you participate?	1-4	0.83

[1] Correspondence address: Celina Aparecida Gonçalves Lima. Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros. Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas. Av. Dr. Rui Braga, s/n., vila Mauriceia. Montes Claros-MG, Brazil. CEP 39.401-089. E-mail: celina.prof@bol.com.br

Brasil

Brasil

Psychometric Properties of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Instrument in Brazilian College Students

Propriedades Psicométricas do Instrumento Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) entre Universitários do Brasil

Propiedades Psicométricas del Instrumento Youth Risk Behavior Survey ( YRBS) entre Estudiantes Universitarios en Brasil

Abstract