The WMS Healthy Lifestyle Scale for Adolescents: Development and Validation Based on a Second-order General Factor Model

Objective: We developed and validated the psychometric properties of a scale to assess healthy lifestyle in adolescents aged 12 to 18. Methods: A pilot sample of 404 adolescents (54% males and 46% females) and a confirmatory sample of 1713 adolescents (48.7% males and 51.3% females) were considered. Results: In the pilot study, we performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), where the toxic relations dimension was changed to the social relations dimension. In the confirmatory study, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), where the second-order general factor model presented adequate adjustment indices (CFI = .94; TLI = .93; RMSEA = .04 [90% CI = .039-.044] ; SRMR = .05). In addition, the global scale presented an adequate composite reliability index (CRI = .87) along with the 8 proposed dimensions: social relationships (.62), leisure habits (.55); risk-taking behaviors (.82), eating habits (.66); search for clean air (.57); sun protection (.79); physical activity (.65) and water drinking (.68). Conclusions: The results of the study contribute to an adequate measurement of the construct and evidence for the existence of a second-order general factor model. Furthermore, the study provides a conceptual and statistical basis for the psychometric development of the WMS scale in subsequent studies.