Table 1 Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) Results and Inter-item Correlations of Youth and Adult Subscales with Two or More Items

  Self-efficacy for health and advocacy behaviors

3

- I am sure that I can tell my friends to eat healthy.

- I am sure that I can tell my friends to be physically active.

- I am confident that I can work to make my school or community a better place for being physically active and eating healthy.

1.0, .704, .704

α = .68

.840

.801

.390

  Active participation

2

- I like to wait and see if someone else is going to solve a problem. (reverse coded)

- I find it very hard to talk in front of a group. (reverse coded)

1.0

.787

.755

  Optimism for change

2

- If I tell someone “in charge”, like a leader, about my opinions, they will listen to me.

- I enjoy participation because I want to have as much say as possible in my school or community.

.311

.834

.763

 Peer support for healthy behaviors (after revision)

2

- How many of your five closest friends are physically active at least 5 days a week?

- How many of your five closest friends eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?

.491

.820

.822

 Advocacy outcome efficacy

2

- This project can make a difference in making our school or community a better place for being physically active and eating healthy.

- This group can influence how people feel about nutrition or physical activity.

.765

.828

.828

 Assertiveness (after revision)

3

- I can talk with adults about issues I believe in.

- I can ask others to help work on making our school or community healthier.

- I can start discussions with others about how to change our school or community to make it healthier.

.474, .524, .678

α = .79

.867

.770

.601

 Participatory competence and decision-making

2

- If I have a problem when working towards a goal, I usually do not give up.

- I can influence the decisions my group makes.

.268

.796

.796

 Pride in group work

2

- I am proud of the work our group did.

- Our work was worth the time and effort we put into it.

.818

.953

.953

 Group outcome efficacy

2

- This group can influence how adults in the community feel about nutrition and physical activity.

- This group can influence how people my age, who are not in this group, feel about nutrition and physical activity.

.638

.905

.905

 Follow-up group resiliency

2

- This group does not give up during tough times.

- If this group failed to accomplish one of our goals, we kept trying to find a way to reach it.

.317

.811

.811

 Roles and participation: Likert

2

- When I attended meetings, I took part in the discussions.

- I took responsibility for things that the group needs to have done.

.389

.836

.836

 Opportunities for control in group work

2

- This group allowed me to have a say in planning events or activities.

- This group had specific leadership roles for youth.

.481

.860

.860

 Group cohesion (after revision)

2

- Members of our group do not spend time together outside of meetings or events. (reverse coded)

- I’m unhappy with my group’s level of commitment to its goals for creating healthier communities. (reverse coded)

.202

.775

.775

 Coordinator/leader characteristics

3

- Our leader(s) provided help whenever we needed it.

- Our leader(s) did not force his or her ideas and opinions on the group.

- Our leader(s) let us work through our disagreements to decide what was best for the group.

.253, .317, .424

α = .56

.703

.789

.819

 Health advocacy history

2

- In the last year, how many times have you tried to tell other students, your family, or friends to think more about eating healthy or being physically active

- In the last year, how many times have you tried to tell school leaders, people in your community, or politicians to be more interested in making your school or community a better place for being physically active and eating healthy.

.335

.817

.817

 Meeting physical activity recommendations

2

- Over the past seven days, how many days were you physically active for at least 60 min per day?

- Over a typical week, on how many days are you physically active for at least 60 min per day?

.717

.927

.927

  Sports/Enjoyment of physical activity

2

- Not counting PE classes, how many days per week do you play or practice a team sport, or take a physical activity class?

- I enjoy physical activity.

.036

.669

.739

  Active transport

2

- In a typical week, how many days do you walk or bike TO school?

- In a typical week, how many days do you walk or bike FROM school?

.765

.938

.940

 Servings of fruits and vegetables

2

- In a typical day, how many servings of fruit do you eat?

- In a typical day, how many servings of vegetables do you eat?

.434

.847

.847

 Intent to remain involved

2

- I plan to continue to work for change in my school or community after this project is over.

- If I had a chance to join a similar group in the future, I would do it.

.562

.884

.884

 Group advocacy (after revision)

6

- The decision-maker(s) listened carefully to our group.

- The decision-maker(s) seemed to understand what we were asking for.

- The decision-maker(s) seemed to learn something new from what we were saying.

- The decision-maker(s) would have listened to us more if we were adults instead of youth.

- The decision-maker(s) were impressed by our group’s work.

- The decision-maker(s) are going to make some changes based on the information from our group.

.424 to .838

α = .47

.157 to .717

 Personal advocacy activities since starting YEAH!

2

- Since I started this project, I have talked to my parents or family members about changes needed to make my school or community a better place for being physically active and eating healthy.

- Since I started this project, I have talked to my friends about changes needed to make my school or community a better place for being physically active and eating healthy.

.620

.920

.920

 Group efficacy (leader perspective)

8

How would you rate the success…on the youth?

- Building leadership skills

- Increasing their knowledge of physical activity and healthy environments

- Increasing their knowledge of healthy eating

- Increasing their knowledge about the role of policy and environment in supporting healthy eating and physical activity

- Building advocacy skills among the youth

- Engaging the youth in their communities/neighborhoods

- Building self-efficacy among the youth

- Educating decision-makers

.099 to .700

α = .82

.431 to .872

 Group cohesion and participation (after revision)

3

- Attendance by group members was consistent and strong.

- All group members participated enthusiastically.

- A few leaders emerged among youth members.

- Decision-making was primarily driven by adult leaders.

- The youth in the group did not know each other before joining the group.

.295, .348, .701

α = .72

.619

.787

.892