Validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the ambivalent ageism scale to be used in the health care sector

ABSTRACT Validity and Reliability Study of the Turkish Version of the Ambivalent Ageism Scale to be Used in the Health Care Sector Background and Aim: Population ageing is an irreversible global trend and negative attitudes towards elderly are prevalent in many societies. Ageism has been defined as "the expression of prejudice against older individuals through attitudes and behaviors". Considering the complex and multidimensional nature of age discrimination attitudes towards elderly in healthcare, more sophisticated instruments are needed to assess these attitudes. The aim of this study is to develop a Turkish version of the Ambivalent Ageism Scale in the health care sector (AAShc) and to examine its validity and reliability. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the first, third and sixth-year students in Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine in 2023-2024 academic year. The total number of students was 1166, the sample was 571 and the response rate was %48,97. The students completed the Sociodemographic and Aging Data Collection Questionnaire, AAShc, and Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KOPS). Two weeks later, the AAShc was re-administered to 212 students. Results: Of the 571 participants with a mean age of 21,7±3,1 years, 241 (42,2%) were male, 324 (56,7%) were female. The mean AAShc total score was 59,2±11,4 and the mean KOPS total score was 84,0±14,3 (the higher the scores, the more negative the attitude). Cronbach alpha value of AAShc was 0,832 and test-retest correlation value was 0,815 (p<0.001). The correlation value between AAShc and KOPS was 0,362 (p<0.001). There was a significant correlation between the age of the students and their AAShc total scores (p<0.001) (r=0,362). There was a significant difference in AAShc total scores according to the students' grades (p<0.001). Conclusion: The Turkish version of the AAShc was found to be valid and reliable. Exploratory factor analysis identified four sub-dimensions (infantilization, vulnerability, hostile ageism, unwanted help). Further studies on validity and reliability are needed in different populations. Keywords: Ageism, AAShc, validity-reliability, KOPS, family medicine