Developing and testing a draft scale evaluating older adults' perceptions of community-based connectedness with...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Social Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Connectedness is vital for the physical and mental health of older adults.
• Existing measurements lack focus on community-dwelling individuals and subjective connectedness.
• A validated scale is needed to assess older adults' perceptions of community-based social connections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a draft scale measuring community-based connectedness in older adults.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the newly developed scale.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase scale development process: item review, pre-test, and field verification.
• Content and face validity were evaluated, followed by item analysis.
• Exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis were used for validity assessment in a sample of 309 Japanese older adults (≥ 65 years).

Main Results:

• A 22-item scale with three factors emerged, demonstrating strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.967).
• The scale showed significant positive correlations with purpose in life (rs = .453) and negative correlations with loneliness (rs = -.307).
• High reliability coefficients were found for inclusion (0.941), reciprocity through provision (0.915), and reciprocity through reception (0.928).

Conclusions:

• The 22-item draft scale possesses adequate reliability and validity for measuring community connectedness.
• This scale can be a valuable tool for public healthcare interventions targeting community-dwelling older adults.
• Assessing subjective connectedness may enhance support for the well-being of the elderly population.