Peer-reviewed article
Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Preschool Eating, Lifestyle, and Sleeping Attitudes (PRELSA) scale.
Bolacali ET, Bolacali M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study validates a Turkish translation of the PRELSA Scale, a tool that measures parental attitudes toward children's eating, physical activity, screen time, and sleep habits during the preschool years. The research tested the scale with 460 parents of children aged 2-6 years across seven preschools in Central Anatolia. The scale was found to be valid and reliable, with good internal consistency and temporal stability. The tool comprises 39 items organized into 13 subscales.
Key points
- The Turkish PRELSA Scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.887)
- Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable model fit across multiple indices (CFI = 0.904, IFI = 0.907)
- Test-retest reliability was high (r = 0.911) with good temporal stability (ICC = 0.865)
- The scale covers four main domains: eating behaviors, physical activity, screen use, and sleep routines
- Sample included 460 parents of children aged 2-6 years from seven preschools
Limitations
This is a psychometric validation study, not an outcome evaluation. It demonstrates that the measurement tool is valid and reliable but does not evaluate whether interventions based on parental attitudes actually improve child health outcomes or reduce obesity.
Abstract
Background Childhood obesity in preschool years is strongly influenced by modifiable parental attitudes and behaviors. This study examined the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Preschool Eating, Lifestyle, and Sleeping Attitudes (PRELSA) Scale, which assesses parental attitudes related to childhood obesity during the preschool period. Methods This methodological study was conducted with 460 parents of children aged 2-6 years from seven preschools in Central Anatolia, Türkiye. Data were collected using a family and child information form and the PRELSA Scale. The adaptation process included forward-backward translation, expert review, face validity assessment, and psychometric evaluation. Data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results The Turkish version comprised 39 items across 13 subscales. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.887. Exploratory factor analysis explained 58.5% of the total variance, with factor loadings ranging from 0.353 to 0.890. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable model fit (χ²/df = 1.434, RMSEA = 0.031, SRMR = 0.046, CFI = 0.904, IFI = 0.907, GFI = 0.911, TLI = 0.888). Test-retest reliability was high (r = 0.911), and the ICC was 0.865 (95% CI: 0.738-0.933), indicating good temporal stability. Conclusion The Turkish PRELSA Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing parental attitudes toward eating behaviors, physical activity, screen use, and sleep routines in early childhood.