Abstract:

Objective To develop a self-protection awareness scale of adolescent female scale (SSPAS) that based upon Chinese cultural framework and test the reliability and validity of the scale. Methods Taking the 16-18 year-old Chinese adolescents as the target population of this study, the SSPAS initial scale was compiled through literature analysis and semi-structured interview. The SSPAS pre-test scale was formed by expert consultation. 283 adolescents aged from 16 to 18 years old in a medical college in Quanzhou, Fujian Province were selected as the pre-experimental scale. The pre-test scale was analyzed by item analysis, and the formal scale was induced by exploratory factor analysis. The scale adopted a 5 point likert type scale that a higher score indicates a higher self-protective awareness. The reliability and validity of the formal scale were evaluated by reliability analysis, correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Results The SSPAS pre-test scale was based on 321 Chinese teenage students aged 16-18 years. The valid questionnaires were 88.2%. The Chinese version of SSPAS was based on 560 Chinese teenage students aged 16-18 years. The effective questionnaires were 91.2%. Using exploratory factor analysis, the SSPAS consisted of 22 items, including sexual health attitudes, sexual self-concept, sexual risk behavior and other three common factors, the cumulative contribution rate was 72.5%; the content of the validity index was 0.902 ~ 0.922 , and the total content validity index of the scale was 0.918. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the total scale was 0.842 and the test-retest reliability was 0.886. The confirmatory factor analysis was with a good fit (x2 / df = 2.218, P<0.001, GFI = 0.958, RMSEA = 0.052, AGFI = 0962, NFI = 0.924, CFI = 0.936). Conclusion As the reliability and validity of 16 to 18 year adolescent female self-protection awareness scale are good, the Chinese version of the SSPAS is a reliable tool to assess self-protection awareness of adolescent female.