Psychometric analysis of the Register - Connectedness Scale for Older Adults in the context of older adults in Croatia

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Croatian version of the Register – Connectedness Scale for Older Adults (R-CSOA). Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study included 698 older adults; the median age of respondents was 73 years (range 65–94). The Register – Connectedness Scale for older adults (R-CSOA) was used. Results: The results indicated satisfactory psychometric characteristics, high overall reliability of the scale (α > 0.959), and high reliability across subscales (from α = 0.885 to α = 0.935) with a clear five-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used and results of the final model of the R-CSOA show adequate (CFI and TLI) to good (RMSEA and SRMS) model fit. All subscales are significantly intercorrelated and have moderate to high statistically significant correlations with the overall scale. All subscales of the R-CSOA are statistically significantly correlated to external variables (self-esteem, loneliness, and successful aging). Conclusion: The Croatian version of the R-CSOA is a valid and reliable tool, suitable for measuring dimensions and level of connectedness in older adults in a Croatian context. Good reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity of the scale were confirmed.