Nicholson Nicholas R, Feinn Richard, Casey E A, Dixon Jane
School of Nursing, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut.
School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut.
Gerontologist. 2020 Sep 15;60(7):e491-e501. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnz083.
Social isolation is known to be detrimental to the health of older adults, yet there is no brief instrument to measure it. The objective was to describe the psychometric testing of a brief instrument constructed from theoretical underpinnings to measure social isolation in older adults.
A sample of 9,245 participants, all aged 60 years and older, was obtained from 44 states in the United States. Summary descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by exploratory factor analysis using Geomin rotation and subsequently confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). After finding the best model, differential item functioning (DIF) was conducted using a multiple indicator multiple cause structural equation model to determine if item responses differed by gender or race after controlling for level of social isolation. Internal consistency was calculated and validity was assessed by correlating factor scores with 2 external measures.
Exploratory factor analysis resulted in all items having statistically significant loadings. CFA showed the 2-factor model demonstrated excellent fit (CFI = 0.997, RMSEA = .038). The 2 factors were labeled connectedness and belongingness. After adjusting for demographic variables, no evidence suggested DIF. Internal consistency was good (alpha = .77) and the scale moderately correlated with the Social Network Index (r = .47).
The Social Isolation Scale has been shown to be an effective measure of social isolation in older adults. Using this concise instrument to quickly measure social isolation in a fast-paced health care environment would be beneficial to health care providers and patients.
社会隔离已知对老年人的健康有害，但尚无用于测量它的简短工具。目的是描述一种基于理论基础构建的用于测量老年人社会隔离的简短工具的心理测量测试。
从美国44个州选取了9245名年龄在60岁及以上的参与者作为样本。计算了汇总描述性统计量，随后使用斜交旋转进行探索性因子分析，接着进行验证性因子分析（CFA）。找到最佳模型后，使用多指标多原因结构方程模型进行差异项目功能分析（DIF），以确定在控制社会隔离水平后项目回答是否因性别或种族而异。计算内部一致性，并通过将因子得分与两项外部测量指标进行关联来评估效度。
探索性因子分析结果显示所有项目的载荷均具有统计学意义。CFA表明二因子模型拟合良好（CFI = 0.997，RMSEA = 0.038）。这两个因子分别被标记为联系感和归属感。在调整人口统计学变量后，没有证据表明存在DIF。内部一致性良好（α = 0.77），该量表与社会网络指数中度相关（r = 0.47）。
社会隔离量表已被证明是测量老年人社会隔离的有效工具。在快节奏的医疗环境中使用这种简洁的工具快速测量社会隔离，将对医疗服务提供者和患者有益。
