Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY
Volume 33, Issue 1, Pages 113-121Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/gps.4687
Keywords
aging; attitudes; stereotypes; lifespan development; successful aging; quality of life
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Funding
- European Commission Fifth Framework [QLRT-2000-00320]
- World Health Organization Quality of Life Group (WHOQOL Group)
- British Geriatrics Society (Scotland)
- University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology is part of the cross-council Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Initiative [G0700704/84698]
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Medical Research Council
- Medical Research Council [MR/K026992/1] Funding Source: researchfish
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ObjectivesThe original 24-item Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ) is well established as a measure of attitudes to aging, comprising domains of psychosocial loss (PL), physical change (PC), and psychological growth (PG). This paper presents a new 12-item short form Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ-SF). MethodsThe original field trial data used to develop the 24-item AAQ (AAQ-24) were used to compare 6-item, 9-item, and 12-item versions of AAQ-SF (sample 1, n=2487) and to test the discriminative validity of the selected 12-item AAQ-SF (sample 2, n=2488). Data from a separate study reporting on the AAQ-24 (sample 3, n=792) verified the analyses. ResultsThe 12-item AAQ-SF reported adequate internal consistency in both sample 1 (PL =.72, PC =.72, and PG =.62) and sample 3 (PL =.68, PC =.73, and PG =.61). The AAQ-SF functioned consistently with the profile of the AAQ-24 in that subscales in both formats of this measure discriminate between respondents on key parameters such as depression, subjective health status, and overall quality of life in sample 2. Sample 3 also demonstrated the AAQ-SF can detect the differences in attitudes toward aging between individuals experiencing anxiety and depression and those without psychological symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the structure of the AAQ-SF mirrors that of the original 24-item AAQ. ConclusionsThe AAQ-SF is a robust measure of attitudes toward aging, which can reduce respondent burden when used within longer questionnaire batteries or longitudinal research. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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