Validation of the Everyday Ageism Scale Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Item Response Theory

The Everyday Ageism Scale is a self-report measure of ageism in older adults. To our knowledge, this scale has yet to undergo item response theory (IRT) analysis to evaluate its item-level properties. Our objective was to evaluate its reliability, structural validity, and item functioning. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis and IRT using data collected from 486 older adults. The Everyday Ageism Scale demonstrated acceptable McDonald's omega coefficients and good model fit with its previously identified three-factor structure. Our findings also revealed items that provided the highest level of measurement precision and adequately/inadequately differentiated between respondents reporting varying levels of ageism. The Everyday Ageism Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing ageism among North American older adults, though items 8-10 may require refinement to improve their discriminatory and predictive power. Future investigations are needed to establish cross-cultural validation.