Background
Divergent cultural contexts and norms shape perceptions of elder abuse and neglect in Western and Arab societies. The psychometric properties of instruments measuring elder neglect and abuse in Arabic have not been previously examined. Validating these instruments can enhance the consistency of elder neglect and abuse (NA) prevalence estimates and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue at national, regional, and global levels. This study represents the first attempt to validate the Arabic version of the 11-item Neglect and Abuse Scale (NAS) and establish its psychometric soundness in a sample of Arabic-speaking Older Adults in the Community.
Method
A cross-sectional study encompassed 539 Arabic-speaking older Egyptians, with 50.3% being female and 60.7% aged between 65 and 75. Participants completed an anonymous Google form-based questionnaire that included the NAS, the Older People's Quality of Life-brief (OPQOL-brief) Questionnaire, 15-item Resilience Scale of Older Adults (RSOA), and sociodemographic inquiries. The forward-backward translation method was employed to ensure accurate translation.
Results
Exploratory Factor analysis with Varimax rotation unveiled two factors from the NAS, reflecting the multidimensional nature of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the two-factor solution, demonstrating a good fit to the data. Reliability assessments showed a satisfactory level of internal consistency for the overall score and the two factors (Cronbach’s α = .83 − .88 / McDonald’s ω = .83 − .89). Sex invariance tests indicated that male and female participants did not significantly differ in the measurement features, suggesting the scale's applicability and interpretability across sexes. Concurrent validity analysis revealed a moderate negative correlation between the Arabic NAS scores, RSOA (r =-.28, p < .001) and OPQOL-brief (r =-.41, p < .001) scores.
Conclusion
This study provides a valid and reliable tool to identify and evaluate older adults’ abuse and neglect in Arabic-speaking communities, supporting effective intervention and prevention efforts. It also facilitates cross-cultural comparisons of abuse and neglect rates, risk factors, and outcomes between Arabic-speaking community-dwelling older adults and other language groups, advancing the global understanding of this issue.
