Neigbourhood Factors on Mental Health Questionnaire: Development, Validity, and Reliability among Malaysian Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: The risk factors associated with mental health among adolescents are usually described by researchers at an individual level. Neighbourhood factors and health have opened a new insight into the field of epidemiology. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a newly developed Neighbourhood Factors on Mental Health Questionnaire among Malaysian adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia using a newly developed questionnaire which comprised of two main domains and seven items. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach‟s alpha were used to measure the instrument‟s construct validity and reliability. Results: A total of 106 adolescents participated in this research. The majority of adolescents were 13 years old (40.6%), female (55.7%), Malays (68.9%), have parents who only studied until secondary school (66.0%) and lived in flats (32.1%). Bartlett‟s Test of Sphericity was significant (Chi-square = 258.361, p<0.001) and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.820. The final model of the instrument contained two domains, the neighbourhood physical environment and neighbourhood social environment factors. Factor loadings for all items were satisfactory ranging from 0.591 to 0.870. The overall Cronbach‟s alpha was 0.810. Conclusions: The Neigbourhood Factors on Mental Health Questionnaire was found to be a valid and reliable instrument. It can be used to assess neighbourhood physical and social factors that can influence mental health of adolescents in Malaysia.