Validation of Russian versions of the DKAS, DAS, and CODE scales: Measuring dementia knowledge, attitudes, and care...

Dementia is one of the main public health challenges worldwide. To evaluate awareness programs, it is necessary to use validated scales, such as the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS), the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS), and the Confidence in Dementia Care Scale (CODE), none of which exist in Russian.

The present study aims to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the DKAS-R, DAS-R, and CODE-R within the Russian-speaking population.

A cross-sectional online study was conducted using convenience sampling (N = 533). Validation included assessing reliability (internal consistency and four-week test-retest reliability of a subgroup of 130 participants), analyzing structural validity through confirmatory factor analysis, and assessing construct validity through the known-groups method. Additionally, an item analysis was conducted. The STROBE checklist was used to report this study.

Acceptable to excellent internal reliability was found for DKAS-R (α/ω = 0.81), DKAS-R20 (α/ω = 0.81), DAS-R (α = 0.81, ω = 0.84), DAS-R14 (α/ω = 0.84), and CODE-R (α = 0.89, ω = 0.88). The proposed factor structures were confirmed after minor modifications (item reductions and correlated residuals). The known-groups analysis revealed that all scales could distinguish between individuals with or without experience with people with dementia and with or without participation in a dementia course. Retest-reliability was moderate for DAS-R/DAS-R14, good for the DKAS-R/DKAS-R20 and CODE-R.

This study provides the first psychometric validation of the DKAS-R, DAS-R, and CODE-R for the Russian-speaking populations. After minor adaptations, all three scales demonstrated robust structure and reliability, supporting their use in research.