Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life

The present study aimed to develop generativity and stagnation measures that are suitable for use with older adult samples. To achieve this, two studies were carried out. In the first study, we developed 59 items suitable for inclusion in the instrument and applied them to to a sample of 235 people who were 60 years and over. After conducting an exploratory factor analysis and a parallel analysis, we selected 23 items distributed into two scales (generativity and stagnation). In a second study, the new scales, as well as other ones to estimate concurrent and discriminant validity, were applied to a new sample of 235 older adults. A CFA confirmed the structural validity of the generativity and stagnation scales. Results suggest that generativity and stagnation are better measured by two separate, independent scales, rather than being two extremes of a single construct. While stagnation seems to be more closely related to eudaimonic well-being, generativity is linked to hedonic well-being and showed a stronger relationship with ego-integrity.