The concurrent validity of the 3-day physical activity recall questionnaire administered to female adolescents aged 12-14 years

Abstract

Aim: This pilot study was conducted as part of an honours project and aimed to provide evidence of validity for the 3-day Physical Activity Recall (3dPAR) questionnaire in a sample of female adolescents aged 12-14 years (N = 20) for use by occupational therapists to assess adolescents'physical activity. Methods: Participants wore a Computer Science and Applications 7164 accelerometer for seven consecutive days and completed the 3dPAR questionnaire after the recording period. Results: A significant correlation was found between self-reported total metabolic equivalents and accelerometer total counts for 3 days (r = 0.630, P < 0.01) and self-reported vigorous physical activity and accelerometer minutes of vigorous physical activity for the 7 days (r = 0.568, P < 0.01) and corresponding 3 days (r = 0.493, P < 0.05) of monitoring. Conclusions: A validity coefficient has been established for the 3dPAR questionnaire when measuring total and vigorous physical activity in females aged 12-14 years over a 3-day period. It is anticipated that this study will assist in familiarising the occupational therapy field with the 3dPAR questionnaire as a potential self-report tool to assess and explore the complexity of adolescents' physical activity. © 2007 The Authors Journal compilation © 2007 Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.