Instruments to Measure E-Cigarette Related Constructs: A Systematic Review

Abstract

\n Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are relatively new tobacco products that are attracting public attention due to their unique features, especially their many flavor options and their potential as an alternative to cigarettes. However, uncertainties remain regarding the determinants and consequences of e-cigarette use because current research on e-cigarettes is made more difficult due to the lack of valid and reliable instruments that measure e-cigarette related constructs. This systematic review therefore seeks to identify the instruments proposed by researchers in the field that are designed to assess various aspects of e-cigarette use or its related constructs and analyze the evidence presented regarding the psychometric properties of the identified instruments.Methods This systematic review utilized six search engines: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and EMBASE, to identify articles published in the peer-reviewed journals from inception to June 2018 that contained development or validation processes for these instruments.Results Eighteen articles describing the development or validation of 20 unique instruments were identified. Beliefs, perception, motive, e-cigarette use, and dependence, were the most commonly assessed e-cigarette related constructs. The included studies reported either construct or criterion validity, with 14 studies reporting both. Most studies did not report the content validity; for reliability, most reported internal consistencies using Cronbach’s alpha, with 15 instruments reporting Cronbach’s alpha\u2009>\u20090.70 for the scale or its subscales.Conclusions Twenty instruments with a reported development or validation process to measure e-cigarette related constructs are currently available for practitioners and researchers.