Validation of the Thai short form of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION

The short form of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire was developed to provide a brief, efficient assessment of attitudes toward ageing among older individuals, but requiring less time and energy to administer. However, it has not been translated into Thai language with psychometric validation. This study aimed to validate the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the short form of the questionnaire to determine its reliability in assessing attitudes toward ageing in the Thai context.

METHODS

A total of 224 Thai community-dwelling older people aged 60 years or older were included. Participants completed the Thai short form of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire, a 12-item measure with three dimensions: psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change. The questionnaire was translated into Thai using forward and back translation. Psychometric testing comprised confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency (using Cronbach's alpha), and test-retest reliability (using the intraclass correlation coefficient).

RESULTS

The results confirmed a three-factor structure corresponding to the original questionnaire's subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated excellent model fit. Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.764 for psychological growth, 0.704 for psychosocial loss, and 0.760 for physical change. Test-retest reliability showed excellent stability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.91.

CONCLUSIONS

The Thai short form of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire is a valid, reliable tool for assessing attitudes toward ageing among older Thai individuals. It can assist in identifying areas needing support and informing the development of interventions to promote positive attitudes toward ageing, contributing to the well-being of older adults in Thailand.