Daniel Fernanda, Monteiro Rosa, Ferreira Jorge, Galhardo Ana
a Instituto Superior Miguel Torga , Coimbra , Portugal.
b CEISUC- Center for Health Studies and Research of the University of Coimbra , (FEUC) Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra , Coimbra , Portugal.
J Gerontol Soc Work. 2019 Apr;62(3):349-362. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2019.1575132. Epub 2019 Feb 8.
The current study aimed to test the fit of the Portuguese version of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Competency Scale II - Assessment subscale (GSWCS-A) and explore its factor structure and psychometric properties in a sample of 534 social workers working in the gerontology field. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that all items presented good factor loadings and that the single-component model fit the data well. The GSWCS-A showed very good internal consistency. Despite the existence of different theoretical perspectives on Social Work, which frame the required competencies for professional practice, the GSWCS-A Portuguese version revealed similitudes with studies conducted in other countries. Nevertheless, the different factor structures (single-component vs. bi-factorial) may indicate that different competencies are being emphasised in terms of professional training. To sum, the GSWCS-A may be a short and useful self-report instrument for addressing social workers' assessment competencies in the gerontology setting.
