| This study utilized a quantitative descriptive research approach to develop an instrument to explore preservice teachers' vicarious learning experiences, beliefs, mastery experiences, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, perceived environmental factors, and goals for teaching and modeling healthy lifestyle practices. Few research studies reported the development or use of an instrument based on constructs of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) to explain potential factors that may influence teachers' goals for teaching and modeling healthy lifestyle factors.;The constructs were operationalized to define draft instrument items, and the items were reviewed for face validity by researchers in the field of health education, physical education, or quantitative research. Inservice teachers reviewed the initial draft instrument for content and provided feedback related to clarity, length, and wording. An expert panel provided qualitative and quantitative reviews to establish content validity of the draft instrument items. A focus group of preservice teachers reviewed the draft instrument and provided opinions related to content, comprehension, clarity, length, and wording. The pilot instrument was administered to a sample of 356 preservice teachers enrolled in elementary education programs in the state of Florida. Data analysis included estimating the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the new instrument, the Healthy Lifestyle Practices Scale.;Validation of the pilot instrument yielded a seven-factor solution explaining 50.05% of the variance. Analysis of Cronbach's alpha revealed a high degree of internal consistency, .918, among the 32 items. The instrument may be used to explore the relationships among the constructs or be administered to other populations. |
