Propriedades psicométricas de um instrumento para avaliar o envolvimento de idosos em atividades prazerosas
Abstract
Researchers have identified various factors that affect seniors’ well-being, including
their engagement with life. As such, to help seniors with mental health problems, one
strategy is to increase the frequency of their involvement in pleasant events. However,
there are no instruments that Brazilian professionals can use, to identify activities that
are pleasant for a specific older person. Thus, the aim of this doctoral research program
was to investigate the psychometric properties of an instrument culturally adapted for
use in Brazil, the COPPES-BR, which can be used to assess older people’s engagement
in pleasant events. First, a literature review was conducted to describe the context in
which the original instrument (the California Older Person’s Pleasant Events Schedule
- COPPES) was developed, its theoretical underpinnings, and to define the construct
this instrument measures. Next, in Manuscript 1, initial evidence of the validity of the
COPPES-BR is presented. In total, 337 Brazilian, community-dwelling seniors (68,2%
female), without cognitive impairments, between the ages of 60 and 93 (M = 69.7; sd =
7.31), living in neighborhoods with different levels of social vulnerability, responded to
the following instruments, all adapted for use in Brazil: (a) the COPPES-BR, (b) the
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), (c) the Pfeffer Index, to evaluate functional
dependency, and (d) sociodemographic questions. The internal consistency of the
Frequency, Pleasure, and Obtained Pleasure scales was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha
values of .96, .95 and .97, respectively). In addition, Frequency and Obtained Pleasure
scores were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. Thus, initial evidence of
precision and external validity were found. However, the results of a confirmatory
factor analysis, to compare the responses of American and Brazilian participants,
indicate that the dimensions established for the original instrument do not explain the
responses obtained with Brazilians. Thus, in Manuscript 2, the results of an exploratory
factor analysis are presented, suggesting that Brazilians respond to the COPPES-BR on
the basis of four domains: F1 – Social Activities and Competence (α = .94); F2 -
Contemplative Activities (α = .83); F3 - Practical Activities (α = .72); and F4 -
Intellectual Activities (α = .70). The factor solution explained 43.6% of the total
variance. In Manuscript 3, additional evidence of the external validity of the COPPESBR
is presented, examining relationships between respondents’ scores on the four
factors of the Frequency scale and: (a) sociodemographic indicators, (b) functional
dependence, and (c) depressive symptoms. The factor scores were negatively correlated
with depressive symptoms and functional dependence scores, and positively correlated
with purchasing power and educational level. The correlations with depressive
symptoms add to the evidence of the external validity of the COPPES-BR. The other
results suggest that the frequency of seniors’ involvement in pleasant events is also
affected by functionality and sociodemographic factors. Thus, although there is already
satisfactory evidence of the internal and external validity of the COPPES-BR, additional
studies are needed, using more representative samples of Brazilian older people, to
strengthen the evidence regarding the precision and validity of this instrument.