Development and validation of a smoking media literacy scale for adolescents

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006 Apr;160(4):369-74. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.160.4.369.

Abstract

Objectives: To develop a smoking media literacy (SML) scale by using empiric survey data from a large sample of high school students and to assess reliability and criterion validity of the scale.

Design: On the basis of an established theoretical framework, 120 potential items were generated, and items were eliminated or altered on the basis of input from experts and students. Cross-sectional responses to scale items, demographics, smoking-related variables, and multiple covariates were obtained to refine the scale and determine its reliability and validity.

Setting: One large Pittsburgh, Pa, high school.

Participants: A total of 1211 high school students aged 14 to 18 years.

Main outcome measures: Current smoking, susceptibility to smoking, attitudes toward smoking, and smoking norms.

Results: Factor analysis demonstrated a strong 1-factor scale with 18 items (alpha = 0.87). After controlling for all covariate data, SML had a statistically significant and independent association with current smoking (P = .01), susceptibility (P<.001), and attitudes (P<.001), but not norms (P = .42). Controlling for all covariates, an increase of 1 point on the 10-point SML scale was associated with a 22% decrease in the odds of being a smoker and a 31% decrease in the odds of being susceptible to smoking.

Conclusions: Smoking media literacy can be measured with excellent reliability and concurrent criterion validity. Given the independent association between SML and smoking, media literacy may be a promising tool for future tobacco control interventions.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Data Collection
  • Education / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Media* / statistics & numerical data
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Pennsylvania / epidemiology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Program Development*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / epidemiology*
  • Students / statistics & numerical data*