Evaluation of Food Security Scales among Hispanic Parents: A Cognitive Interview and Psychometric Properties Study

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT A substantial segment of the 3.1 million Hispanic households that experience food insecurity (FI) consists of predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrant parents with low or limited English proficiency. Yet, this population has been excluded from survey development measuring FI. By excluding this population, we may not be capturing how this population conceptualizes FI. Survey design limitations and lack of methodological rigor have also prevented conceptual differences in food insecurity experiences from being measured in this dominant and highly vulnerable US population. Current scales were constructed using translated items. While there are methods to ensure accuracy of translated surveys, translations do not ensure participants understand survey items. Due to literacy limitations, Spanish-speaking immigrant parents with low or limited English proficiency may express their FI experiences differently from native English speakers. Consequently, the items on FI scales may be interpreted differently from what the items were intended to measure. In addition, the most common Spanish translated FI scale used in research (i.e. S-FSSM) is designed to capture a unidimensional experience of FI rather than the multidimensional aspects that are established in the literature. The proposal seeks to address these limitations by integrating how Spanish-speaking immigrant parents with low or limited English proficiency conceptualize their FI experiences through an iterative process that includes individual concurrent cognitive interviews (CI), group retrospective CI, and survey psychometric testing. The goal is to improve the clarity, cultural, and linguistic appropriateness of words in the S-FSSM. Subsequently, this may lead to a multi- dimensional scale that captures varied FI domains. Aim 1: Evaluate and adapt the current S-FSSM among Spanish-speaking parents. Parents will provide feedback on FI experiences and the current scales through individual concurrent CI (n=20) and group retrospective CI (n=20). The feedback will be used to revise the current scales. Aim 2: Field test the revised scales and assess psychometric properties. A new set of Hispanic parents (n=150) will complete the revised instruments. Exploratory factor analysis will examine structural validity. Internal consistency reliability will assess how well the revised survey is measuring food security domains and test-retest will assess stability over time. Convergent validity will be assessed via several outcome measures: parenting stress, violence, health, and diet. The current proposal aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration's and NIH's goal to end food and nutrition insecurity, and thus, significant. The use of a dominant population that is traditionally excluded in survey development to assist in the advancement of a multi-dimensional scale is innovative. The revised survey may assist in identifying additional Hispanic families who may benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP participation has been associated with reducing FI and negative health outcomes, and related to positive child health outcomes.