Measuring Parental Attitudes in Four Thai Provinces: Adaptation and Validation of the Parental Attitudes Towards Their Child’s Outdoor Recreation (PACOR) Questionnaire

Authors

Kannika Permpoonputtana, National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand.
Chayanuch Nakkongkam, Master of Science Program in Human Development, National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Peeradech Thichanpiang, Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand.
Anuchart Kaunnil, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
Kerry Lee, Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Xiaozi Gao, Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Chutikorn Nopparat, Innovative Learning Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Sukhumvit 23, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand
Sarun Kunwittaya, National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand.Follow

Abstract

Background: Parental attitudes toward children's outdoor recreation are vital for holistic child development. This study aimed to translate and validate the Parental Attitudes Towards Their Child’s Outdoor Recreation (PACOR) questionnaire in Thai among parents of preschoolers.

Methods: The PACOR was translated into Thai through forward and back-translation, then culturally adapted for Thai parents. A final Thai-PACOR was formed by an expert committee. Content validity was assessed using Item-Objective Congruence values while internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated. Construct validity was determined via factor analysis and comparison of parental attitudes based on children's sex.

Results: The Thai-PACOR demonstrated robust psychometric properties, with a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.80. Importantly, the removal of Items 2 and 10 increased the α coefficient to 0.84, thereby enhancing the internal consistency within the Thai context. The intraclass correlation coefficient analysis revealed a reliability coefficient of 0.91, indicating high consistency in assessing parents’ attitudes toward their child’s outdoor recreation over time. Using exploratory factor analysis, the Thai-PACOR established construct validity by characterizing two factors: parental positive and negative attitudes toward outdoor recreation.

Conclusions: This study enhances our grasp of parental attitudes towards children’s outdoor activities in Thailand. The adapted Thai-PACOR proves reliable and valid for assessing such attitudes. However, limitations, such as demographic insights and item rationale exploration, suggest careful interpretation. Future research should delve into these aspects to better comprehend cultural impacts on parental attitudes toward outdoor recreation in Thailand.

Keywords: Cross-cultural adaptation, Parental attitudes, Outdoor recreation, Psychometric properties, Thai culture

Recommended Citation

Permpoonputtana K, Nakkongkam C, Thichanpiang P, et al. Measuring Parental Attitudes in Four Thai Provinces: Adaptation and Validation of the Parental Attitudes Towards Their Child’s Outdoor Recreation (PACOR) Questionnaire. J Health Res. 2024; 38(6):-. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56808/2586-940X.1108

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