Reliability and Validity of Self-Concealment Scale in Chinese Older Adults

Abstract

Background

Individuals who initiate the concealment of their adverse or distressing thoughts from others can trigger off negative psychological experiences and social isolation, and lead to poorer health. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Self-Concealment Scale (SCS) in Chinese older adults.

Methods

A questionnaire was administered to 1085 elderly people using convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Scales used included the SCS, Distress Disclosure Index (DDI), Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (RCBS), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), Social Phobia Scale (SPS), UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).

Results

The SCS consisted of 10 items with a one-dimensional structure, explaining 55.66% of the variance. The factor loading values for each item ranged from 0.68 to 0.75, and the covariance ranged from 0.46 to 0.57. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit (χ2/df=2.829, RMSEA=0.057, CFI=0.981, IFI=0.981, TLI=0.974, PNFI=0.712, PGFI=0.719). The criterion-related validity test found that the SCS was significantly and positively correlated with the RCBS, SIAS, SPS, ULS-8, K10, depression, and anxiety; and the SCS was significantly and negatively correlated with the DDI. The Cronbach’s α coefficient value for the scale was 0.923; the split-half reliability coefficient value was 0.923. In addition, the SCS had cross-gender consistency.

Conclusion

The SCS has good reliability and validity in older adults and can be used as a valid tool to assess self-concealment among older people.

Keywords:

• older adult
• self-concealment
• reliability
• validity

Ethics

Approved by the Jilin International Studies University (Approval No. JY202211003).

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was under the Social Sciences Planning Project Supported by Jilin Province (No. 2022C86) and National College Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (No. 202210199057).