Development and Validation of a Perception, Attitude, and Practice of Physical Activity to Support Personalized Physical Activity Promotion Among U.S. Older Adults

Introduction: Engaging in physical activity is a cornerstone of healthy aging, yet physical inactivity remains prevalent among U.S. older adults. This study aimed to develop and validate measures of perceptions, attitudes, and practices to support personalized physical activity promotion among older adults. Method: For this online cross-sectional survey, we enrolled 310 community-dwelling older adults and 11 content experts. Using the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices framework, we developed 14 items for the Perceived Physical Activity Benefits Scale (PBAS), seven items for the Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS), and nine items for the Physical Activity Practice Scale (PAPS). Using a 30:70 split, derivation and replication samples were generated via simple random sampling without replacement. Content validity and item analyses were performed on the full sample, followed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in the derivation and replication samples, respectively. Results: Item-level content validity indices for the PBAS, APAS, and PAPS were 0.96, 0.94, and 0.95, respectively. Internal consistencies (Cronbach’s alpha) were 0.92 for the PBAS, 0.77 for the APAS, and 0.91 for the PAPS. Exploratory factor analyses identified two subscale constructs for each measure, all demonstrating good to excellent subscale reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices ranged from 0.89–0.91 for the PBAS, 0.84–0.92 for the APAS, and 0.95–0.97 for the PAPS. Conclusion: The PBAS, APAS, and PAPS are reliable and valid instruments for assessing perceptions, attitudes, and practices related to physical activity among older adults and can support interventions aimed at promoting personalized physical activity and healthy aging.