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[P1–017]: SF‐DEM: A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR ASSESSING SOCIAL FUNCTIONING IN DEMENTIA
Author(s) -
Sommerlad Andrew,
Singleton David,
Jones Rebecca,
Banerjee Sube,
Livingston Gill
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.084
Subject(s) - dementia , intraclass correlation , cronbach's alpha , psychology , clinical psychology , cohort , concurrent validity , medicine , psychometrics , gerontology , internal consistency , disease , pathology
Background:There is no standardised instrument for assessing social functioning in dementia despite decline in social functioning being one of the diagnostic criteria for dementia and important to patients and their families. We aimed to develop a valid, reliable, acceptable instrument for assessing social function in people with dementia. Methods:We conducted qualitative interviews with 18 dyads of people with dementia and their family carers, a literature review, and focus groups with expert health-care professionals to develop the patient-rated and carer-rated versions of the Social Functioning in Dementia (SF-DEM) instrument. We tested the acceptability and psychometric properties of these measures in structured interviews at baseline and at 4 weeks’ and 6–8 months’ follow-up in a cohort of 30 dyads of people with mild dementia and their carers, recruited from London memory services. Results: SF-DEM had content validity. The instrument was acceptable to both patients and carers, who all rated it as acceptable or very acceptable. Inter-rater agreement was good or very good for all questions. Test–retest reliability was very strong (Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)1⁄40$89, 95% CI [0.73, 0.96]) for the carer-rated SF-DEM and (ICC1⁄40$80, 95% CI [0.54, 0.92]) patient-rated version, and both versions had internal consistency (Cronbach’s a1⁄40$71 for carer-rated SF-DEM and a1⁄40$64 for patient-rated). SF-DEM had concurrent validity, since it was moderately correlated with a question about overall social (r1⁄40$60, 95% CI [0.29, 0.78] for carer-rated; r1⁄40$44, 95% CI [0.07, 0.68] for patient-rated). SF-DEM also had convergent validity, as evidenced by a moderate correlation between patient and carer ratings (r1⁄40$59, 95% CI [0.07, 0.81]). At follow-up (mean duration 7.2 months), patient-rated SF-DEM score increased by 1.3 points (95% CI [-0.3, 2.9], p1⁄40.10) and caregiver-rated SF-DEM score increased by 1.4 points (95% CI [-0.1, 2.9], p1⁄40.06) for each point on a five point ordinal scale of social change. Conclusions: Patient-rated and carer-rated versions of the SF-DEM are reliable, valid, and acceptable measures of social function in people with mild dementia and there are indications of its responsiveness to detect change. These measures are freely available to other researchers. Further research should test the generalisability to other populations.