Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Geriatric Feelings of Burdensomeness Scale (GFBS) and analysis of associated factors

With the accelerating aging population in China, there is increasing attention to the quality of life and mental health issues among older adults. Elevated burden not only deteriorates psychological and physical health but also leads to social isolation and decreased quality of life. However, there is currently a lack of specific assessment tools for measuring burden among older adults in China. This study aims to translate the Geriatric Feelings of Burdensomeness Scale (GFBS) into Chinese, assess its validity and reliability within the general older adult population, and explore the factors influencing GFBS scores. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 500 Chinese older adults. Using the Brislin translation technique, the original scale was translated into Chinese employing a forward-backward translation method. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test the structural validity of the scale. In contrast, content validity was evaluated using the Content Validity Index (CVI). The scale’s internal consistency was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, McDonald’s Omega coefficient, corrected item-total correlations, and test-retest reliability. Additionally, the relationship between older adults’ feelings of being a burden and their general demographic characteristics was explored. The EFA identified a three-factor structure, and the CFA indicated satisfactory model fit indices, all within acceptable thresholds. The CVI of the scale was 0.914, while Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients were 0.965 and 0.966, respectively. The corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.607 ~ 0.825. The test-retest reliability was 0.763. Statistically significant differences in the level of burdensomeness were observed among older adults based on gender, marital status, chronic diseases, health status, and economic status (P < 0.05). The GFBS is a reliable and effective tool for assessing the level of burden among older adults in China. It consists of three dimensions: economic and social burden, personal emotional burden, and social interaction burden. Among older adults, females, widowed individuals, those with chronic illnesses, those lacking a fixed income, and those in poor health experience a higher level of feelings of being a burden.