Validating the Hebrew Version of the Modified Dementia Worry Scale (H-MDWS)

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dementia worry, a significant public health concern, requires further cross-cultural investigation.
• Understanding dementia worry necessitates validated assessment tools across different languages and populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Modified Dementia Worry Scale (H-MDWS).
• To establish a reliable and valid instrument for assessing dementia worry in Hebrew-speaking populations.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 368 Israeli adults (aged 18+).
• Participants completed the H-MDWS, alongside measures of Alzheimer's fear, stigma, and health anxiety.
• Psychometric properties were assessed using reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and factor analysis.

Main Results:

• The H-MDWS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95).
• Factor analysis confirmed a unidimensional structure, explaining over 66% of the variance.
• Significant correlations were found between H-MDWS scores and fear of Alzheimer's, stigma, and health anxiety.

Conclusions:

• The H-MDWS is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring dementia worry.
• This validated scale facilitates research expansion and clinical identification of individuals experiencing dementia worry.
• The H-MDWS supports the development of targeted interventions for dementia worry.