Validity and Reliability of Self-Assessed Physical Fitness Using Visual Analogue Scales

Abstract

To test the validity and reliability of self-assessed physical fitness samples included healthcare assistants working at a hospital (women = 170, men = 17), persons working with physically and mentally handicapped patients (women = 530, men = 123), and two separate groups of healthcare students (a) women = 91 and men = 5 and (b) women = 159 and men =10. Five components of physical fitness were self-assessed by Visual Analogue Scales with illustrations and verbal anchors for the extremes: aerobic fitness, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. Convergent and divergent validity were evaluated by age-adjusted correlations stratified by sex with performance-based measures of physical fitness. Self-assessed aerobic fitness ( r = .36–.64) (women/men), muscle strength ( r = .30–.51), and flexibility ( r = .36–.31) showed moderate convergent validity. The divergent validity was satisfactory except for flexibility among men. The reliability was moderate to good ( ICC = .62–.80). Self-assessed aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility showed moderate construct validity and moderate to good reliability using visual analogues.