Comparison of rated and ranked health and lifestyle values

Objective: Values are typically ranked; however, ratings have desirable adm inistrative and statistical properties. The purpose of the present study wa s to determine the better format to measure health and lifestyle values: tr aditional ranking or Likert-type rating. Methods: Psychometric properties o f the two survey formats were compared on a sample of 183 first-year univer sity students. Results: The ranking format had higher one-week test-retest reliabilities than did ratings (median .66 vs .60) but consistently lower v alidities when compared to self-report health behaviors. Conclusion: Result s: from the present study suggest that a rating format for health and lifes tyle value items should be used.