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Development of a Japanese Version of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Questionnaire

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Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a study on the development of a Japanese version of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (SOC) questionnaire using the Rasch model. To estimate the item functions of 12 items in each of the 4 subscales, 340 responses to the initial survey and 280 responses to the retest survey conducted 7 weeks later were obtained from Japanese older adults. Item fit information, item-total correlations, and stability of item difficulties were used to select the appropriate items in each subscale. Test-retest and internal consistency reliability were found to be optimal in all of the refined subscales. These subscales were related to internal control, subjective well-being, and personality traits, but not to social desirability. Thus, the psychometric properties of this Japanese SOC questionnaire were verified. This study also indicated the possibility of using the Rasch model to refine the SOC questionnaire in other cultural settings.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the research participants and the students who assisted with data collection.

Funding

This study was funded by Meisei University and a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research (C 21530700) from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Presentations

Portions of this work were presented at the 118th Convention of the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA, 2010, and at the 22nd biennial meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Edmonton, Canada, 2012.

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Correspondence to Hideki Okabayashi.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Table 5 List of Items on the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (SOC) Questionnaire

Appendix 2

Table 6 Psychometric properties of items in the Elective selection (ES) subscale
Table 7 Psychometric properties of items in the Loss-based selection (LBS) subscale
Table 8 Psychometric properties of items in the Optimization (O) subscale
Table 9 Psychometric properties of items in the Compensation (C) subscale

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Okabayashi, H. Development of a Japanese Version of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Questionnaire. J Cross Cult Gerontol 29, 447–465 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-014-9242-9

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