The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Perceived Physical Literacy for Chinese Elderly Questionnaire

Abstract Background and Objectives Physical literacy refers to a holistic view of physical activity (PA), which proposes that a person needs to be motivationally, physically, strategically, mentally, socially, and knowledgeably prepared to be and stay physically active. It has been recently introduced in the field of older adults’ PA. Our study sought to develop the Perceived Physical Literacy for Chinese Elderly Questionnaire (PPLCEQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties. Research Design and Methods We conducted qualitative interviews and literature reviews to develop the item pool. Expert panel review and cognitive interviewing were used to evaluate the questionnaire’s content validity. A convenience sample of 388 Chinese older adults was recruited to assess the questionnaire’s validity and reliability. Results The developed PPLCEQ includes 47 items. Consistent with the conceptual definition of physical literacy, exploratory factor analysis showed that the PPLCEQ is composed of 6 subscales. Participants’ PPLCEQ scores were moderately correlated to their leisure-time PA (r = 0.38, p < .001), PA maintenance (r = 0.44, ps < .001), and perceived competence for exercising regularly scores (r = 0.58, p < .001). Moreover, the Cronbach’s alpha and the test–retest reliability of the questionnaire were 0.88 and 0.70, respectively. Discussion and Implications Psychometric assessment results suggest that the PPLCEQ is a reliable and valid tool that can be used in future studies investigating Chinese older adults’ perceived physical literacy.