Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire among Chilean college students

Introduction: The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has increased significantly among adolescents, young people and university students in Chile. Risky sexual behaviors are an important risk factor in this age group. The need to measure interventions focused on the reduction of risky sexual behaviors is an essential issue for prevention and promotion. For this reason, reliable measuring instruments having adequate psychometric properties are necessary for the evaluation of these behaviors in this population. Objective: To evaluate and culturally adapt psychometric properties of the Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ) among college students in Chile. Material and Methods: Cross-cultural adaptation was performed and psychometric properties were evaluated. Translations, back-translations, and an analysis of conceptual, semantic, and operational equivalence were carried out considering expert´s judgment. An adapted scale was applied to 222 students. Exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency and homogeneity among items were conducted. Test-retest reliability was determined in a subsample of 56 students. Results: Following content analysis of experts, four items were eliminated and seven items were modified; the other items were not influenced by conceptual, operational or semantic equivalence. Validation showed a Cronbach´s Alpha of 0,794 (95 % CI: 0,693 a 0,790). Seven components explained 60.8% of the total variance. The result of the Test-retest was 0,757 (95 % CI: 0,617 a 0,850). Conclusion: The Chilean version of SSBQ showed good psychometric properties for evaluating safe sex behavior in college students, mainly in women and students in the health professions.