Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey for Older Adults

Abstract

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS) (Goldberg, Brintnell, & Goldberg, 2002) in a sample of older adults living in the greater Los Angeles area. The EMAS evidenced moderate test-retest reliability (r = .56) and good internal consistency (α = .89). Exploratory factor analysis (principal components) discerned a twocomponent structure within the EMAS, indicative of Personal-Competence and SocialExperiential meaning. The EMAS demonstrated theoretically predicted zero-order correlations with measures of meaning and purpose in life, depressive symptomology, life satisfaction, and health-related quality of life. Regression analyses discerned that purpose and meaning in life consistently predicted the EMAS and its components. Furthermore, persons reporting greater levels of Social-Experiential relative to Personal-Competence meaning had the lowest levels of physical health-related quality of life. This study offers initial evidence in support of the EMAS as a valid measure of meaningful activity in older adults. KeywordsMeasurement; Meaning and Purpose in Life; Health-Related Qualify of Life; Life Satisfaction There is growing recognition that participation in personally valued activities contributes to individual well-being. For example, Cantor & Sanderson (1999) have argued that well-being may be enhanced when a person participates in life tasks that are intrinsically valued and autonomously chosen. It has also been suggested that the meaning persons derive from their day to day activities ultimately infuse life with meaning (Clark et al., 1991;Hasselkus, 2002;Sharrott, 1983;Thomson, 2003), and consequently have significant implications for both physical and mental health (Jackson, Carlson, Mandel, Zemke, & Clark, 1998;Ryff & Singer, 1998). Further, the meaning persons attribute to their activities may mediate the manner in which those activities are perceived, thereby influencing health, well-being and successful aging (Carlson, Clark, & Young, 1998;Law, Steinwender, & Leclaire, 1998;Little, 1998;Rowe & Kahn, 1998).There has been recurring interest in the nature of meaningful activity engagement in social gerontology. For example, Kelly, Steinkamp, and Kelly (1986) derived five forms of activity meaning related to companionship within an activity, strengthening personal relationships, competence and skill development, expression and personal development, and health and exercise. Lawton (1993) reviewed the status of the meaning of leisure activities, making a distinction between denotative meaning, which refers to the more objective physical characteristics and uses of activities, and connotative meaning, referring to the personally subjective or affective aspects of activity involvement; a difference clearly reflective of NIH Public Access Pierce's (2001) discussion of activity and occupation. Lawton identified three classes of connotative meaning: experiential, developmental and social leisure, and offered the term 'mulitplexity' to sugges...

Measurement Characteristics of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey in an Age-Diverse Sample

“…Secondary analyses were conducted on a combined sample of 276 persons from two prior studies (Eakman, 2011; Eakman, et al, 2010a). These two samples were evaluated collectively to test the utility of the EMAS across a greater range of ages than could be addressed with just one of the samples.…”

“…The scale has demonstrated positive relationships with measures of life satisfaction and health-related quality of life, and negative relationships with measures of boredom, depression, and negative affect in community and institutional dwelling older adults, persons with persistent mental illness, and university students, (Eakman, 2011; Eakman, Carlson, & Clark, 2010a, 2010b; Goldberg, et al, 2002; Zimolag & Krupa, 2009). The EMAS has been related to measures of activity meaning, meaning and purpose in life, and basic psychological needs (e.g., relatedness, competence, and autonomy) thereby supporting its criterion-related and convergent validity.…”

Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey for Older Adults

“…Goldberg, et al, (2002) had suggested the EMAS evidenced sound psychometric properties, though additional studies are surely warranted to support the construct validity of the EMAS (Pedhazur & Schmelkin, 1991; Streiner & Norman, 2003). This paper involves the secondary analysis of data originally reported in a prior publication (Eakman, 2007). This study sought to establish the factor structure of the EMAS, and it was hypothesized that the EMAS would demonstrate sufficient psychometric properties as a measure of meaningful activity.…”

Reliability and structural validity of an assessment of occupational value

“…Prior exploratory factor analytic results from a related scale, the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (54), found correlated components thereby offering evidence to suggest that items underlying the OVal-pd might also be correlated. The present study supported this understanding because the four OVal-pd components demonstrated low to moderate intercorrelations.…”