Godfred O. Boateng|Torsten B. Neilands|Edward A. Frongillo|Hugo Melgar-Quiñónez|Sera L. Young
Best Practices for Developing and Validating Scales for Health, Social, and Behavioral Research: A Primer
Northwestern University|University of California, San Francisco|University of South Carolina|McGill University|Northwestern University
scale development validation critical much work health social behavioral sciences however constellation techniques required scale development evaluation onerous jargonfilled unfamiliar resourceintensive often part graduate training therefore goal concisely review process scale development straightforward manner possible facilitate development new valid reliable scales help improve existing ones created primer best practices scale development measuring complex phenomenon systematic review rather amalgamation technical literature lessons learned experiences spent creating adapting number scales past several decades identified three phases span nine steps first phase items generated validity content assessed second phase scale constructed steps scale construction include pretesting questions administering survey reducing number items understanding many factors scale captures third phase scale evaluation number dimensions tested reliability tested validity assessed also added examples best practices step sum primer equip scientists practitioners understand ontology methodology scale development validation thereby facilitating advancement understanding range health social behavioral outcomes