Reliability and feasibility of a self-reported questionnaire on the mode, time and distance of commuting in children and adolescents

Abstract

Active commuting to school is an opportunity to increase physical activity levels in children and adolescents. However, the prevalence of this behavior continues to decline in the last decade in most countries. This research aims to study the reliability and feasibility of a questionnaire of commuting to/from school in children and adolescents. The study of reliability through the Kappa Coefficient, Weighted Kappa and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and its respective confidence interval (CI). The sample consisted of 220 students aged 9-18 years (72 children and 148 adolescents), from the Valparaíso region of Chile. Six questions were used to determine the behavior of commuting to/from school); the habitual mode of commuting to school; the habitual mode of commuting from school, weekly round trips, distance and time of commuting to school. The results showed a high reliability of the questions related to the habitual mode of commuting to/from school [(Kappa = 0, 91 and (0, 85, respectively)], as well as for distance (Kappa = 0,79) and time of commuting (Kappa = 0,74). The weekly round trips have a very good Intraclass Correlate Coefficient (ranging from 0,79 to 0,98). This version of the commuting to/from school questionnaire is a feasibility instrument and shows a high reliability to assess such behavior in children and adolescents.