Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the social disconnectedness and perceived isolation scales

Aim: The social isolation of older adults is one of the major global concerns associated with widespread negative outcomes. The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Social Disconnectedness and Perceived Isolation Scales among Iranian older adults. Method: After receiving permission from the scales’ developers, the translation process was performed using the world health organization’s standard translate/back-translate procedure. Face and content validities were assessed by an expert panel. The content validity of the scales was evaluated by calculating the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest, and correlation analysis respectively. Structural validity and factorial structure of the scales were tested using factor analyses and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in a sample of 390 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years residing in Tabriz, Iran. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 26) and AMOS (version 24). Result: Cronbach's alpha (.64 and .76) showed that the internal consistency and reliability were acceptable for all items on the scales. The CVR and CVI were calculated for the Persian version of Social Disconnectedness (CVR = 0.98 and CVI = 0.91) and Perceived Isolation (CVR = 0.91 and CVI = 0.96). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) by extraction of main components with the Varimax rotation method identified new dimensions that had been created for both scales. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed the formation of new factors for both scales. The number of factors of the social disconnectedness scale changed from 2 factors in the original version to 3 factors and the number of factors of the perceived isolation scale changed from 2 factors in the original version to 4 factors in the Persian version. The CFA and SEM confirmed the three-factor solution of the Persian version of the Social Disconnectedness Scale (RMSEA=0.050, GFI=0.951, CFI=0.950, and TLI=0.955) and the four-factor solution of the Perceived Isolation Scale (RMSEA=0.045, GFI=0.955, CFI=0.955, and TLI=0.950). Conclusion: Although the structure of the dimensions obtained in the present study was not consistent with those of the original versions, the study results support the reliability and validity of the Persian versions of the Social Disconnectedness and Perceived Isolation Scales to be used on Iranian older adults.