Balancing practicality and validity of elder abuse identification measures: using data from adult protective services investigations.

. In testing a comprehensive decision support system for Adult Protective Services (APS), this study addressed two problems common in APS research and practice: the psychometric quality of the measures and measurement burden. . Data were generated on 1,472 APS cases over six months in two California counties using the Identification, Services and Outcomes (ISO) Matrix, a comprehensive decision support system for APS. The ISO Matrix uses Short-Forms developed from the Elder Abuse Decision Support System (EADSS). Mini-Forms were developed from the Short-Forms and tested in order to reduce measurement burden. Mini-Forms were developed on each measure using sensitivity and specificity of the items in predicting the criterion of substantiation (yes/no). Psychometric quality was addressed by estimating predictive validity and Cronbach's alpha of Short-Forms. Predictive validity and reliability were also estimated on the Mini-Forms as was their correlation with the Short-Forms. . On Short-Forms, good predictive validity was found for all measures except those that were very rare. Results for even shorter Mini-Forms were mixed, and some will require further research on their reliability and validity. . Short-Forms had good psychometric properties and some Mini-Forms did as well. Ongoing adoption by several California counties and Montana demonstrates the viability and sustainability of using the ISO Matrix for research and practice.