Factorial invariance of the theory of planned behavior applied to physical activity across gender, age, and ethnic groups

Objectives: The present study assessed the generalizability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) applied to physical activity and to examine if the TPB operates equivalently across gender, age, and ethnic sub-groups. Design/Methods: Measurement equivalence was evaluated for gender (male/female), age (19-34/35-54/55+) and ethnicity (Japanese/Hawaiian or part Hawaiian/Filipino/White) in a random sample (n = 3533) using Multisample Structural Equation Modeling. Results: Measurement equivalence was found for all variables and for their intercorrelations. Of the 100 possible TPB variable relationships between groups, only 6 were significant. The differences were found in explained variances of physical activity. Conclusions: The findings indicate that TPB measures apply over a range of population sub-groups, and should be considered comprehensively when designing interventions.