Reliability And Psychometric Evaluation Of The Nutritional Knowledge Test Among Tribal Students

Abstract

This study examines the internal consistency and item-level reliability of the General Nutritional Knowledge assessment scale, which consists of four sections, using Cronbach's Alpha and other psychometric statistics. With a moderate reliability score (α = 0.63), the scale is deemed suitable for exploratory purposes but requires further refinement for confirmatory or high-stakes use. Item-level analysis highlighted Section 2 as crucial for overall consistency, while Section 3 weakened reliability. The study involved 347 students from the tribal communities of Attappady, who completed the assessment. Data were analyzed using the "psych" package in R, employing metrics such as Cronbach's Alpha, Guttman’s lambda-6, and item-total correlations. Based on the findings, the study recommends refining low-contribution items and conducting factor analysis for further validation to improve the scale's psychometric properties.