Convergent validation of a questionnaire to assess the mode and frequency of commuting to and from school

Abstract

Aims: The purposes of this research were to study the convergent validity of the Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire using objectively assessed steps and time spent in different physical activity intensities and to compare the self-reported versus objective journey time in Spanish youths. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-nine Spanish youth aged 7–19 years were asked to complete the questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for five days. The objective commuting distance and time from home to school were estimated using Google MapsTM. Results: There were significant differences between passive and walking participants on step numbers, sedentary time and physical activity levels (except for vigorous physical activity in children). For children, a mean difference of −4.03 minutes between objective measured and self-reported journey time was found (95% limits of agreement were 13.55 and −21.60 minutes). For adolescents, the mean difference was −1.39 minutes (95% limits of agreement were 15.23 and −18.02 minutes). Conclusions: The findings indicated that the Mode of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire showed a convergent validity to assess this behaviour in Spanish youths. Self-reported journey time for walking is comparable to Google MapsTM in adolescents but not in children.

Mode of Commuting TO and FROM School: A Similar or Different Pattern?

“…A total of 6004 students from 7 to 20 years old belonging to 41 schools selected by convenience, located in 25 cities within 4 provinces of the south of Spain (Almería, Granada, Jaén and Murcia) participated in this cross-sectional study. They completed the Mode and Frequency of Commuting to and from School Questionnaire [7,15]. The inclusion criterion was to have complete data on the questionnaire.…”

“…The Mode and Frequency of Commuting to and from School Questionnaire is a valid tool [15] to assess the mode of commuting to and from school and it is a self-reported questionnaire suggested in the scientific literature [7]. The questionnaire included personal data (gender, age, educational stage, town, city and home address) and four questions: (a) the usual mode of commuting to school, (b) the usual mode of commuting from school, (c) the weekly counts of school trips by mode of commuting to school (i.e., weekly mode of commuting to school) and (d) the weekly counts of school trips by mode of commuting from school (i.e., weekly mode of commuting from school).…”

“…Moreover, a self-reported travel to and from work over the previous seven days has been shown to be accurate and less susceptible to recall bias [13,14]. Consequently, the authors from the review and after analysing the literature, proposed and validated the "Mode and Frequency of Commuting to School Questionnaire" [15] to assess the mode of commuting to and from school, including both usual and weekly-day recall periods. Studies comparing both usual and weekly modes of commuting to and from school are lacking in the scientific literature.…”

The dynamics of advancing climate policy in federal political systems

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