The relationship of perceived latitude of choice to morale in a nursing home environment

An Importance, Locus and Range of Activities Checklist (The Perceived Latitude of Choice Scale) and the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale were administered to 17 institutionalized elderly women. The Perceived Latitude of Choice instrument contained 37 items representing activities of daily life which subjects rated for personal importance and range of choice available. The morale scale contained 17 items presented in a dichotomous format that would indicate high or low morale. A number of positive correlations were observed between morale and perceived degree of choice, with Attitude Toward Own Aging the factor on the morale scale showing the strongest relationships to choice. The degree of choice available for privacy stood out as one of the most important items related to morale. A number of methodological considerations were discussed relating to the use of correlations, restrictions of range of scores and selection of subjects from populations.