Validation of a questionnaire to measure sexual health knowledge and understanding (Sexual Health Questionnaire) in Nepalese secondary school: A psychometric process

Dev Raj Acharya, .; Malcolm Thomas, .; Rosemary Cann, .

Validation of a questionnaire to measure sexual health knowledge and understanding (Sexual Health Questionnaire) in Nepalese secondary school: A psychometric process

Authors

. Dev Raj Acharya

. Malcolm Thomas

. Rosemary Cann

Abstract

Background: School‑based sex education has the potential to prevent unwanted
pregnancy and to promote positive sexual health at the individual, family and community
level. Objectives: To develop and validate a sexual health questionnaire to measure young
peoples’ sexual health knowledge and understanding (SHQ) in Nepalese secondary
school. Materials and Methods: Secondary school students (n = 259, male = 43.63%,
female = 56.37%) and local experts (n = 9, male = 90%, female = 10%) were participated
in this study. Evaluation processes were; content validity (>0.89), plausibility check (>95),
item‑total correlation (>0.3), factor loading (>0.4), principal component analysis (4 factors
Kaiser’s criterion), Chronbach’s alpha (>0.65), face validity and internal consistency using
test‑retest reliability (P > 0.05). Results: The principal component analysis revealed four factors
to be extracted; sexual health norms and beliefs, source of sexual health information, sexual
health knowledge and understanding, and level of sexual awareness. Kaiser‑Meyer‑Olkin (KMO)
measure of sampling adequacy demonstrated that the patterns of correlations are relatively
compact (>0.80). Chronbach’s alpha for each factors were above the cut‑off point (0.65). Face
validity indicated that the questions were clear to the majority of the respondent. Moreover, there
were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the responses to the items at two time points at seven
weeks later. Conclusions: The finding suggests that SHQ is a valid and reliable instrument to
be used in schools to measure sexual health knowledge and understanding. Further analysis
such as structured equation modelling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis could make the
questionnaire more robust and applicable to the wider school population.

Keywords

Psychometric properties

questionnaires

secondary school

sexual health

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