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Psychometric properties and feasibility of the Swedish version of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale

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Abstract

Purpose

Morale is related to psychological well-being and quality of life in older people. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) is widely used to assess morale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and feasibility of the Swedish version of the 17-item PGCMS among very old people.

Methods

The Umeå 85+/GERDA study included Swedish-speaking people aged 85, 90 and 95 years and older, from Sweden and Finland. Participants were interviewed in their own homes using a predefined set of questions. In the main sample, 493 individuals answered all 17 PGCMS items (aged 89.0 ± 4.3 years). Another 105 answered between 1 and 16 questions (aged 89.6 ± 4.4 years). A convenience sample was also collected, and 54 individuals answered all 17 PGCMS items twice (aged 84.7 ± 6.7 years). The same assessor restated the questions within 1 week.

Results

Cronbach’s alpha was 0.74 among those who answered all 17 questions in the main sample. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the construct validity of the most widely used version of the PGCMS, with 17 items and three factors, and showed a generally good fit. Among those answering between 1 and 17 PGCMS questions, 92.6 % (554/598) answered 16 or 17. The convenience sample was used for intra-rater test–retesting, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.89. The least significant change between two assessments, with 95 % confidence interval, was 3.53 PGCMS points.

Conclusion

The Swedish version of the PGCMS seems to have satisfactory psychometric properties and feasibility among very old people.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funds from the Interreg IIIA Kvarken-MittSkandia Program (2005–2007) and the Bothnia-Atlantica Program, both funded by the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund. This work was also supported by the Umeå University Foundation for Medical Research, King Gustav V’s and Queen Viktoria’s Foundation of Freemasons, Västerbotten County Council, the Strategic Research Program in Care Sciences, Norrbotten County Council, Sweden, Joint Committee of County Councils in Northern Sweden “Visare Norr,” the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Grant Number 2013–1512) and the Swedish Research Council (Grant Number K2014-99X-22610-01-6). Special thanks to Professor Stig Karlsson for assessing some of the participants in the convenience sample. Also thanks to all participants and medical staff who took an active part in this study.

Conflict of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Johan Niklasson, Mia Conradsson, Carl Hörnsten, Hugo Lövheim & Yngve Gustafson

  2. Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Study Programme of Social Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland

    Fredrica Nyqvist

  3. Center for Population Studies, Aging and Living Conditions Programme, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Mojgan Padyab

  4. Department of Social Work, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Mojgan Padyab

  5. Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Björn Nygren & Birgitta Olofsson

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  1. Johan Niklasson
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Correspondence to Johan Niklasson.

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Niklasson, J., Conradsson, M., Hörnsten, C. et al. Psychometric properties and feasibility of the Swedish version of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. Qual Life Res 24, 2795–2805 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1009-4

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