Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation of a Health Belief Model-Based Questionnaire Assessing Preventive Behaviors Related to Electronic Device-Associated Musculoskeletal Disorders among High School Students

Background and purpose: Increasing use of electronic devices, including cell phones, tablet computers, and computers, has been associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders among students. Effective educational interventions require valid and reliable instruments to assess preventive behaviors. This study aimed to develop a questionnaire and conduct a preliminary assessment of its psychometric properties to evaluate preventive behaviors related to musculoskeletal disorders associated with electronic device use.

Materials and methods

This methodological study was conducted in four phases: item generation, validity assessment, pilot testing, and reliability evaluation. Items were developed through a literature review and based on the constructs of the Health Belief Model. Face validity was assessed using the impact score, while content validity was evaluated by 10 experts using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.