Citation

Fan Z, Cai H, Shi X, Yu N, Chen L. BMC Public Health 2024; 24(1): e2162.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12889-024-19237-8

PMID

39123169

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Positive solitude, taken as a meaningful activity, contributes to the improvement of health, well-being, and quality of life of older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Positive Solitude Scale (PS) among Chinese older to provide a reference for related research.

METHODS: A convenience sample of 608 older people from 10 provinces in China was used to conduct the survey.

RESULTS: The Chinese version of the PS consisted of 9 items with a unidimensional structure, which could explain 60.91% of the variance. The factor loadings of each item ranged from 0.67 to 0.82, and the communality ranged from 0.44 to 0.68. The confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit (χ(2)/df = 2.771, RMSEA = 0.076, CFI = 0.972, IFI = 0.972, TLI = 0.959, PNFI = 0.665, PCFI = 0.675). It was found from the criterion-related validity test that PS scores were significantly and positively correlated with Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness scores (r = 0.45 to 0.44); PS scores were significantly and negatively correlated with Short-Form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Ego Depletion Scale (EDS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2nd Edition (AAQ-II) (r = -0.27 to -0.36). The Cronbach's α coefficient value for the scale was 0.917; the split-half reliability coefficient value was 0.928. In addition, the PS showed cross-gender consistency.

CONCLUSIONS: The PS presented favorable psychometric characteristics in older people, which can be used as a valid tool for assessing older people's positive solitude.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Aged; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Older people; Aged, 80 and over; Reliability; Validity; Quality of Life; China; Reproducibility of Results; Factor Analysis, Statistical; *Psychometrics; Personal Satisfaction; Positive solitude; Surveys and Questionnaires/standards