Development Of Life Events Scale For The Elderly

Objective: To develop and test the reliability and validity of Life Events Scale for the Elderly (LESE).Methods: Based on widely read literatures about life events scales and some interview information of the elderly, items had been brought forward by nominal group. Through small sample tested, focus group discussed and items modified, ideas and suggestions from experts on public health and psychometrics had been adapted before the LESE formed. Using cluster random sampling method, total 915 samples who are over 60 years old were sampled from community people in yuanjiang. They were tested with LESE. With other instruments, the scale's reliability and validity were also tested.Results: The LESE consists of 46 items and includes three domains: health related events, marriage and family problems, social communication problems and other events. The LESE's test-retest reliability was 0.910, and three domains ranged from 0.767 to 0.929. The correlation between this scale's total score and Life Events Scale of Zhang Mingyuan's total score was 0.646. LESE's total score had negative correlation with Self-rated Health Measurement Scale's total score, and particularly had significant negative correlation with self-rated mental health's score. There is significant difference in LESE's total score of negative events between non-depression, mild depression and severe depression, and between the elderly with suicide ideation and without suicide ideation. The major life events of elderly people is health related events. The elderly who have these characteristics, such as female, elder age, lower education, unstable marriage status, lower income and living in the countryside, had high life events scores.Conclusion: The LESE is a reliable and valid measure for assessing the stressful life events of the elderly people. The major life events of elderly people is health related events. The elderly who have these characteristics, such as female, elder age, lower education, unstable marriage status, lower income and living in the countryside, have high life events scores.