Comparative validity of seven scoring systems for the instrumental activities of daily living scale in rural elders

J. R. Vittengl, C. N. White, R. J. McGovern, B. J. Morton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lawton and Brody's eight-item Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale is used often with elderly patients but scored in several different ways. We scored the IADL with seven popular procedures ranging from relatively simple to complex (Guttman scores, summed and Rasch scores from dichotomous, trichotomous, and polytomous items) in a sample of rural elders (N = 231). We compared the IADL scales' prediction of concurrent cognitive functioning, depressive symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and health care use (medications, outpatient visits, inpatient days). Validity coefficients ranged from small to large among outcome variables but were highly consistent across IADL scoring procedures. Consequently, researchers and clinicians may prefer to use simpler IADL scoring procedures with this population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)40-47
Number of pages8
JournalAging and Mental Health
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Phychiatric Mental Health
  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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