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Reliability and Validity of a Swedish Version of Kogan's Old People Scale
Author(s) -
Söderhamn Olle,
Gustavsson Siw Merit,
Lindencrona Catharina
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2000.tb00587.x
Subject(s) - construct validity , cronbach's alpha , scale (ratio) , psychology , convergent validity , validity , reliability (semiconductor) , predictive validity , test validity , construct (python library) , sample (material) , content validity , psychometrics , social psychology , clinical psychology , internal consistency , computer science , power (physics) , chemistry , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics , programming language
Standardized and well‐tested instruments are needed in order to study attitudes toward old people. One scale that has been widely used is Kogan's Old People scale. A Swedish version of the scale has been available since 1987. The aim of this study was to test this Swedish version of the scale for reliability and validity, in a sample consisting of students and different health‐care professionals. A convenience sample of 319 individuals in western Sweden took part in the study, and data were collected by means of a questionnaire that included the scale. Reliability was assessed as homogeneity and validity as construct validity. All but 4 of the 34 items were found to have significant item‐total correlations. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale was 0.79. Some evidence of construct validity was found in a three‐factor solution, which explained 30% of the variances. Strong evidence of construct validity was shown in the scale's capability to differentiate between individuals who rather preferred to work with old people (p < 0.005) than with young clients. Convergent validity, as a form of construct validity, was also supported for the scale.