Methodological approaches to the analyses of elder abuse screening measures: Application of latent variable measurement modeling to the WC-RAPS

ABSTRACT

While several elder abuse screens exist, few measure risk and none target long-term support services. The aims were to examine the psychometric properties of the Weinberg Center Risk and Abuse Prevention Screen (WC-RAPS), comparing approaches to modeling self-reported risk and abuse in relation to reported Adult Protective Services contacts. Methods: The sample (n = 7,035), admissions to managed long-term care (79%) and short-term rehabilitation (20%), was primarily (66%) female, with mean age 77.6 (SD = 9.10); 7% each were African American and Latino and 12% Asian. Latent variable models were used to examine measurement properties of six indicators of abuse and five of risk. Results: Good model fit and stable subscale measurement models were observed across analyses. Reliability was >0.80 across methods, and concurrent criterion validity estimates were as expected. Conclusion: Evidence supported the reliability and concurrent criterion validity of the risk and abuse subscales in an ethnically diverse cohort.

KEYWORDS:

• Elder abuse
• measurement
• methods latent variable models
• risk
• screen

Additional information

Funding

These analyses were supported in part by the National Institute on Aging [grant numbers: R03AG049266 and 1R01AG057389-1]. Support for these analyses was also provided by the Research Core on Measurement and Data Management of the Mount Sinai Claude Pepper Older Americans Independence Center: National Institute on Aging [grant number 1P30AG028741].