Assessing noise perceptions in Italian adolescents: validation of the Italian youth attitude to noise scale (YANS-it)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Italian version of the Youth Attitude to Noise Scale (YANS-It) and to assess Italian adolescents' attitudes towards noise exposure. DESIGN: Cross-cultural adaptation and validation study using forward-backward translation and pilot testing, followed by a nationwide online cross-sectional survey. Psychometric analysis included Confirmatory Factor Analysis with the WLSMV estimator, internal consistency using McDonald's omega, and measurement invariance testing across gender and age groups. Non-parametric tests were used to examine differences by age, gender, and listening behaviour. STUDY SAMPLE: A total of 991 adolescents aged 11-19 years were recruited from middle and high schools across Italy. RESULTS: The Italian YANS confirmed the original four-factor structure with acceptable fit indices ((CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.08. Internal consistency was high (McDonald's ω = 0.81). Non-parametric tests revealed that attitudes towards noise differed according to age, gender, and listening habits across specific YANS dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: YANS-It is a valid and reliable tool for assessing Italian adolescents' attitudes towards noise. Its use can inform targeted prevention strategies and educational interventions to promote safer listening behaviours in youth adolescents.