The attitudes to ageing questionnaire (AAQ): Development and psychometric properties
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Date
2007
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Abstract
Objective: This paper describes the development of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) which is a self-report measure with which older people themselves can express their attitudes to the process of ageing. Method: The development of the AAQ followed a coherent, logical and empirical process taking full account of relevant gerontological knowledge and modern and classical psychometric analytical methods. Pilot testing with 1,356 participants from 15 centres worldwide refined the scale and provided the basis for a field test. A total of 5,566 participants from 20 centres worldwide contributed to the further development of this new scale with the derivation involving both classical and modern psychometric methods. Results: The result is a 24-item cross-cultural attitudes to ageing questionnaire consisting of a three-factor model encompassing psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change. The three-factor model suggests a way of conceptualizing and measuring successful ageing in individuals. Conclusions: The AAQ provides researchers, clinicians and policy makers with a unique scale to measure the impact of successful ageing interventions. It also provides a vehicle for the measurement of how individuals age across cultures and under different economic, political and social circumstances. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aging , Attitude , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personality Inventory , Pilot Projects , Psychometrics , Questionnaires , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , adult , aged , analytic method , article , attitude to aging , controlled study , cultural factor , economic aspect , female , gerontology , health status , human , major clinical study , male , medical research , pilot study , political system , psychometry , psychosocial disorder , questionnaire , rating scale , self report , social aspect , social behavior , social environment , social psychology , United Kingdom