[Pilot testing of a questionnaire to assess Elderspeak in nursing care: a quantitative study]

Pilot testing of a questionnaire to assess Elderspeak in nursing care: a quantitative study Abstract: Background: Interactions between caregivers and older care dependent people can be characterized by condescending and patronizing communication patterns, which are referred to as Elderspeak. To raise awareness and encourage reflection on language behavior, the previous project EldAS developed a questionnaire to assess Elderspeak in nursing care. Aim: The aim of the study was to pilot the questionnaire developed to measure Elderspeak and to evaluate its psychometric properties (construct validity and reliability). Methods: The questionnaire was completed by nursing staff in paper form (two clinics) and as an online survey (throughout Germany). The psychometric properties were examined using exploratory factor analysis. In addition, internal consistency and item discrimination were determined. Results: A total of 779fully completed questionnaires were available. Factor analysis revealed three factors. Three items had to be removed from the questionnaire due to poor statistical parameters. The items show selectivity coefficients ranging from 0.32 to 0.79 and internal consistency ranging from 0.54 to 0.85. Conclusions: The questionnaire can be used to raise awareness in clinical practice and research, taking into account its existing limitations. However, further testing is necessary.