The Kids Insight into Dementia Survey (KIDS): development and preliminary psychometric properties. (3rd August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baker, Jess R.; Low, Lee-Fay; Goodenough, Belinda; Jeon, Yun-Hee; Tsang, Ruby S. M.; Bryden, Christine; Hutchinson, Karen
• Is Part Of: Aging & mental health. Volume 22:Number 8(2018)
• Page Start: 953
• Page End: 959
• Publication Date: 2018-08-03
• Subjects: Dementia -- children -- attitudes -- measure development -- exploratory factor analysis; Older people -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals; Older people -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Aging -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Aged -- psychology -- periodicals; Mental Health -- periodicals; Mental Health Services -- periodicals; Aging -- psychology -- periodicals; Aged, 80 and over -- psychology -- periodicals; 618.97689
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1320703
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-7863

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Children may have a foundational role in efforts to raise community awareness about dementia. There is some qualitative work with children with a relative with dementia, but little work into the insights of children as general citizens without affected family. One issue is an absence of measurement tools; thus the study aimed to design and pilot a psychometrically sound self-report measure of dementia attitudes for children. Method: Using a multi-staged scale development process, stakeholder and expert input informed a 52-item Kids Insight into Dementia Survey (KIDS). After a pretest of KIDS with 21 Australian schoolchildren aged 10–12 years, exploratory factor analysis and reliability and validity testing were run on a revised KIDS with data from 203 similar-aged schoolchildren. Results: The KIDS was reduced from 52 to 14 items, and a three-factor solution identified: 'Personhood, ' 'Stigma, ' and 'Dementia Understanding.' A strong positive correlation with an adult measure of dementia attitudes ( r = .76) and a moderate positive correlation with a child measure of attitudes towards older adults ( r = .47) indicated good concurrent validity. Internal consistency of .83 indicated good reliability. Conclusion: Results support the use of KIDS as a tool to measure children's insight into dementia, and to evaluate dementia education initiatives targeting the youth.