Development and psychometric testing of the Register - Connectedness Scale for Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Connectedness, defined as active engagement with life, is vital for successful aging.
• Existing measurement tools for connectedness in older adults are lacking.
• This gap hinders research into the science of aging well.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a reliable instrument to measure connectedness in community-dwelling older adults.
• To provide a tool for researchers studying successful aging.
• To identify key components of connectedness in later life.

Main Methods:

• A 72-item instrument was administered to 428 community-dwelling older adults.
• Exploratory factor analysis was used to refine the instrument.
• Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha for the identified factors.

Main Results:

• The instrument was reduced to 45 items, forming five distinct factors.
• Factors include self-regulating, facing aging, being part of a family, having friends, and being spiritual.
• High reliability estimates (ranging from .85 to .88) were found for each factor.

Conclusions:

• The developed 45-item connectedness scale is a promising instrument for measuring a crucial aspect of successful aging.
• This scale can facilitate further research into the multifaceted nature of aging well.
• The findings highlight the importance of self-regulation, social connections, and spirituality in older adults' lives.