Background/Purpose People in under-resourced communities often lack access to safe, free, and convenient places to be active (Powell et al, 2007). Schools typically have facilities that are conducive to physical activity. It is recommended that school recreational facilities be open to the community outside of normal school hours, however, prior research has identified perceived barriers in doing so (Evenson & McGinn, 2004). The purpose of this study was to develop a psychometrically sound scale to measure perceived barriers.
Method A national, online survey of randomly selected school principals in low-income and minority communities was conducted. The instrument was developed utilizing prior studies and relevant literature and reviewed by a Delphi panel of experts. Scale development was accomplished using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Analysis/Results Three factors (safety/security, resources, and social support) emerged through EFA. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was excellent at .884. The final CFA model included 12 observed variables (liability, burglary, vandalism, graffiti, maintenance cost, activity cost, maintenance staffing, activity staffing, space, school support, community support, and controversy) representing the three latent constructs/factors. The final measurement model fit the data adequately (2 = 127.50, df = 51; SRMR = .063; CFI = .94).
Conclusions Results provided empirical evidence of the psychometric property of the scale. The variables and constructs identified in this study support those identified in previous studies. This study will assist future researchers in survey design and scale development, and practitioners in identifying key barriers to community access of school recreation facilities.
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