Evaluating the Hebrew version of the financial exploitation vulnerability scale

Assessing financial exploitation (FE) in older adults has proved challenging for various reasons, including low base rates, underreporting, and/or inaccurate reporting. Measuring FE risk is one way to overcome some of these inherent challenges, yet few measures exist that do so. One measure that holds great promise is the Financial Exploitation Vulnerability Scale, and its short-form (FEVS, FEVS-SF, respectively). The present study examined the measurement property evidence for a Hebrew version of the FEVS and FEVS-SF.

Participants (N = 1281; M age = 69.98; SD = 7.39) from four separate studies were included in an amalgamated sample. Participants completed basic demographic measures, the FEVS in Hebrew (from which the FEVS-SF was derived), and a questionnaire on self-reported history of FE. Factor structure (structural validity), internal consistency estimates, and discriminative (known groups) construct validity of the FEVS and FEVS-SF were examined.

A clear factor structure was not found for the FEVS, but a two-factor solution yielded a good model fit for the FEVS-SF, with two conceptually meaningful factors identified (financial well-being and financial decision making). Reliability estimates were acceptable for both the FEVS (0.77) and FEVS-SF (0.81). Discriminative validity was also supported; participants with a self-reported history of FE scored significantly higher on both measure versions compared to participants denying a history of FE.

Findings support the use of the FEVS-SF in Hebrew to measure FE vulnerability. The measure can be administered easily and at low cost, and may serve useful to researchers and clinicians alike.