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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Validity of self-report screening scale for elder abuse
— Women's Health Australia Study | | Author(s) | Margot J Schofield, Gita D Mishra |
| Journal title | The Gerontologist, vol 43, no 1, February 2003 |
| Pages | pp 110-120 |
| Keywords | Older women ; Elder abuse ; Evaluation ; Australia. |
| Annotation | Early identification of elder abuse requires a valid, easily administered screening instrument. This study examined the reliability of the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS), a 12-item self-report measure with four factors (Vulnerability, Dependence, Dejection, and Coercion). The sample consisted of 10,421 nationally representative Women's Health Australia study participants aged 73-78, who completed the Time 2 postal survey in 1999. Validity of the VASS factor structure was tested, and whether baseline risk status independently predicted Time 2 attrition. Findings confirmed the VASS factor structure, in which Vulnerability and Coercion factors held the strongest face and construct validity for physical and psychological abuse. The Dependence and Dejection factors were valid and reliable, and significantly predicted 3-year attrition. Further work is needed to determine sensitivity and specificity of VASS as a screening instrument for elder abuse. Qualitative research could examine specific experiences and contexts of vulnerable women. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-030417006 A |
| Classmark | BD: QNT: 4C: 7YA |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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