Cross-Cultural Validation of a New Version in Spanish of Four Items of the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) in Twelve Latin American Countries
Author(s)
Lindsey W. Vilca
Pablo D. Valencia
Carlos Carbajal‐León
Andrea Vivanco-Vidal
Daniela Saroli-Araníbar
Mario Reyes-Bossio
Claudio Rojas-Jara
Roberto Polanco-Carrasco
Miguel Gallegos
Mauricio Cervigni
Pablo Martino
Diego Alejandro Palacios
Rodrigo Moreta‐Herrera
Antonio Samaniego-Pinho
Marlon Elías Lobos-Rivera
Ilka Franco Ferrari
Carmen Flores-Mendoza
Andrés Buschiazzo Figares
Diana Ximena Puerta-Cortés
Ibraín Enrique Corrales-Reyes
Raymundo Calderón
Bismarck Pinto
Walter L. Arias Gallegos
Date Issued
16 de noviembre de 2021
Type
Article
Volume
12
Start Page
763993
End Page
763993
Abstract
The invariance of the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) was evaluated in 12 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay). A total of 5183 people from the aforementioned countries participated, selected using the snowball sampling method. Measurement invariance was assessed by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) and Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment (CFA-MIAL). In addition, item characteristics were assessed based on Item Response Theory. The results indicate that the original five-item version of the PCIBS is not adequate; whereas a four-item version of the PCIBS (PCIBS-4) showed a good fit in all countries. Thus, using the MG-CFA method, the PCIBS-4 achieved metric invariance, while the CFA-MIAL method indicated that the PCIBS-4 shows metric and scalar invariance. Likewise, the four items present increasing difficulties and high values in the discrimination parameters. The comparison of means of the PCIBS-4 reported irrelevant differences between countries; however, Mexico and Peru presented the highest frequency of preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. It is concluded that the PCIBS-4 is a unidimensional self-report measure which is reliable and invariant across the twelve participating Latin American countries. It is expected that the findings will be of interest to social and health scientists, as well as those professionals directly involved in public health decision making.
Subjects