Preliminary evaluation of an adolescent positive health measurement scale: a salutogenic health promotion approach

Abstract

Health measurement tools typically assess indicators of poor health by identifying the absence, or presence, of disease and risk factors. This article describes development and validation of the first instrument for measurement of adolescent engagement in positive health promoting actions from a salutogenic approach. This cross-sectional study of 406 youths 14–16 years old tested the validity and reliability of the Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale for Adolescents (SWPS-Adol) and examined the extent to which SWPS-Adol positively correlated with and was able to predict perceived health among this population. Findings indicated that SWPS-Adol had good internal consistency ( α = 0.84, subscales α = 0.70), a multi-dimensional structure (physical, emotional, social, vocational and spiritual), and was positively correlated with perceived health ( r = 0.37, p < 0.001). The SWPS-Adol total score also showed significant positive correlations with the physical ( p ≤ 0.001), emotional ( p < 0.001), social ( p < 0.001) and vocational ( p < 0.039) dimensions. The more adolescents engaged in positive behaviors, the better their perceived health. The SWPS-Adol tool provides positive health data to guide adolescent health programs and health curricula, to inform health professionals and policy makers about how positive health actions enhance health and community wellness.