Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Elder Self-neglect Scale for Iranian Older Adults

Identifying the hidden phenomenon of self-neglect in the elderly requires the use of a standard tool with a holistic perspective. The present study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the elder self-neglect (ESN) scale for the Iranian elderly.

After translation, one item related to the lifestyle subscale was removed due toincompatibility with Iranian culture. As a result, the psychometric properties of the 17-item draft were evaluated in terms of face validity and content validity using content validity index (CVI). Construct validity, internal consistency (using Cronbach’s α) and test re-test reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficient) were then measured. Participants were 30 older adults aged ≥60 years) selected from the retirement centers in Tehran, Iran (in the preliminary phase and 207 in the main phase. Data analysis was evaluated in SPSS software, version 21.

The mean score of the ESN scale was 26.93. The CVI in overall was 0.92. The results of exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation led to the extraction of four factors, namely psychological self-neglect, personal/health, environment/health and lifestyle. Cronbach’s α (0.96) showed high internal consistency of the Persian ESN scale.

The Persian ESN scale has good validity and reliability and can be used as a suitable tool by geriatricians, nurses, or medical staff for identifying self-neglect behaviors in the Iranian elderly.