Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Biostatistics and Epidemiology 2383-4196 3 1 2017 10 28 20 28 EN Teamur Aghamolaei Department of Public Health, School of Health, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran Farzan Madadizadeh Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran AND Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amin Ghanbarnejad Department of Public Health, School of Health, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran AND Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2017 10 24 2017 10 24 Background & Aim: Health locus of control (HLC) is a construct that refers to how person’s beliefs influence on his/her health. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and construct validity of multidimensional HLC (MHLC) scale in a representative Iranian samples. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was done among 881 subjects over 15 years old in Bandar Abbas, in the south of Iran through cluster sampling. Translated Persian version of MHLC questionnaire was administered to participants. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to compare three different models. Multiple groups CFA were conducted to examine the measurement equivalence across gender (390 men and 391 women) in EQS software. Reliability assessment was done by Cronbach’s α coefficient in SPSS v.16 software. Results: Based on CFA, 18-item with three correlated factor had good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.92 and comparative fit index = 0.9). The results established full configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender. Cronbach’s α for subscales was ranged from 0.65 to 0.74. Conclusion: Eighteen items Persian version of MHLC scale in three oblique subscales was introduced as a valid and reliable tool for assessing HLC among the general population in Iran. Furthermore, it is derived that the MHLC was full invariant across gender. https://jbe.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jbe/article/view/136 https://jbe.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jbe/article/download/136/74