Development of the Motivation to Change Lifestyle and Health Behaviours for Dementia Risk Reduction Scale

BACKGROUND AND AIMS It is not yet understood how attitudes concerning dementia risk may affect motivation to change health behaviours and lifestyle. This study was designed to develop a reliable and valid theory-based measure to understand beliefs underpinning the lifestyle and health behavioural changes needed for dementia risk reduction. METHODS 617 participants aged ≥50 years completed a theory-based questionnaire, namely, the Motivation to Change Lifestyle and Health Behaviours for Dementia Risk Reduction (MCLHB-DRR) scale. The MCLHB-DRR consists of 53 items, reflecting seven subscales of the Health Belief Model. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and revealed that a seven-factor solution with 27 items fitted the data (comparative fit index = 0.920, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.047) better than the original 53 items. Internal reliability (α = 0.608-0.864) and test-retest reliability (α = 0.552-0.776) were moderate to high. Measurement of invariance across gender and age was also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS These results propose that the MCLHB-DRR is a useful tool in assessing the beliefs and attitudes of males and females aged ≥50 years towards dementia risk reduction. This measure can be used in the development and evaluation of interventions aimed at dementia prevention.