Satisfaction with Daily Occupations for Elderly People (SDO-E)-Adaptation and Psychometric Testing

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Occupational Therapy
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Satisfaction with daily occupations is crucial for health and well-being across populations.
• Limited research exists on occupational satisfaction specifically within elderly populations.
• The need for a validated instrument to assess occupational satisfaction in older adults is apparent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the psychometric properties of an adapted Satisfaction with Daily Occupations instrument (SDO-E) for elderly individuals.
• To evaluate the content validity and usability of the SDO-E.
• To establish the SDO-E as a potential screening tool for older adults.

Main Methods:

• An adapted version of the Satisfaction with Daily Occupations instrument (SDO) was developed for elderly people (SDO-E).
• Content validity and usability were assessed by five hospital-based occupational therapists specializing in elderly care.
• The SDO-E was administered to 92 elderly participants (50 community-dwelling, 42 inpatients) alongside measures of perceived health, activity level, and general satisfaction.

Main Results:

• The SDO-E exhibited fair content validity and utility.
• Acceptable internal consistency and good preliminary construct validity were demonstrated.
• Relevant known-groups validity was established, indicating the SDO-E's ability to differentiate between groups.

Conclusions:

• The SDO-E is a potentially valuable screening tool for assessing activity levels and satisfaction with daily occupations in elderly individuals.
• The SDO-E can serve as a complementary instrument to other self-report measures related to health and well-being in older adults.
• Further research is recommended to explore the SDO-E's content validity from the perspective of elderly users and its sensitivity to change over time.