Translation and preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students in Brazil (ASDS‐Braz)

Translation and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-Ar): A multi-institutional validation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Ageism represents an important barrier to high-quality healthcare for older adults. The present study sought to translate and validate the Arabic version of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-Arabic).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The 27-item ASDS tool was translated from English into Arabic following recommended cross-sectional forward and backward translation guidelines. The translated version was subjected to the content validity ratio (CVR) and sent to dental students in 21 institutes from 10 different Arab countries. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to assess the dimensionality of the scale, and Cronbach's alpha was used to determine internal consistency reliability. The discriminant validity of the scale was assessed using the independent t-test. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was also undertaken.

RESULTS

Based on CVR, three items were removed. The 24-item Arabic version was completed by 3284 dental students. PCA and CFA retained 17 items in six components, explaining 50.3% of the total variance, with acceptable reliability, validity and discrimination. The first component "Adherence of older patients with dental treatment and instructions," included four items with a Cronbach α of 0.64 and scored 4.3 ± 0.8. The second component "Feasibility of the treatment plan," included three items with a Cronbach α of 0.66 and scored from 2.6 ± 1.2 to 2.9 ± 1.1. The third component "Cost of and responsibility for the dental treatment" included four items with a Cronbach α of 0.47 and scored 4.4 ± 0.8 to 4.5 ± 0.8. The fourth component "Medical history of older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.70 and scored 4.0 ± 1.0 to 4.1 ± 1.0. The fifth Component "Feeling towards older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.672 and scored 2.6 ± 1.2 to 2.0 ± 1.4. The sixth Component "Confidence and experience in treating older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.33 and scored 4.4 ± 1 to 4.6 ± 1.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary validation of the ASDS-Ar resulted in a new 17-item scale with six components with acceptable validity, reliability and discrimination.

Evaluation of dental students' attitude to elderly patients based on demographic data: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive curricular modifications in dental education are essential to address the healthcare needs of the growing geriatric population. In this context, incorporating attitudes of dental students towards this complex patient group into the design of educational programs is crucial for developing effective curricula. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of dental students towards elderly patients during their educational progress, which is a crucial period in the formation of dentists' approaches to patients and treatment, and to consider the influence of demographic data in this process.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, a two-part questionnaire was administered to 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-year students at Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry. The first part collected demographic data on age, gender, place of residence, presence of grandparents, and history of living with grandparents. The second part used the validated Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) with 5 items on a 6-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for two- and multi-group comparisons, respectively, and the Spearman Correlation Test examined age-scale score relationships. A Type 1 error rate of 0.05 was applied.

RESULTS

A total of 305 students participated, 204 (66.9%) of whom were female. The distribution across the 3rd, 4th, and 5th years was 35.1%, 32.1%, and 32.8%, respectively. The median ASDS score was 3.2. No significant differences in ASDS scores were found concerning age (p = 0.925), gender (p = 0.631), year of study (p = 0.581), place of residence (p = 0.282), presence of grandparents (p = 0.199), or history of living with grandparents (p = 0.859).

CONCLUSION

Demographic factors did not significantly affect ASDS scores. Larger, translated, and validated studies in different regions of Türkiye are needed. However, the neutral attitudes observed among students suggest that the content of geriatrics in dentistry education should be strengthened in a way that promotes positive attitudes towards elderly patients.

Translation and Preliminary Validation of the Turkish Version of an Ageism Scale for Dental Students

AIMS

Ageism, also known as age-based discrimination, refers to the discrimination individuals face due to their older adult status. This type of discrimination is recognized internationally as a problem that has negative effects on individuals. The Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) was developed to evaluate dental students' attitudes toward providing oral healthcare to older adults and has been successfully implemented across different cultures. The aim of this study is to translate and validate the ASDS in Turkish (ASDS-Tr).

METHODS

This study utilized the original 27-item ASDS along with five demographic questions. The study group consisted of 270 undergraduate students from the Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry.

RESULTS

The scale items assessing dental students' attitudes toward older adults were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The final PCA model comprised 15 items and five components, explaining a total variance of 58.9%. The Cronbach's α coefficient for these 15 items was 0.582, indicating acceptable internal consistency.

CONCLUSION

ASDS-Tr has undergone a preliminary validation study for use in Turkey, yielding positive results. The preliminary validation of ASDS-Tr produced 15 items scale with five components with acceptable validity and reliability. This scale aims to effectively assess dental students' attitudes toward older adults in Turkey.

Ageism and Empathy Among Dental Students in Southern Brazil

PURPOSE

To investigate the association of ageism, empathy, and other possible explanatory factors among dental students in southern Brazil.

METHODS

An online questionnaire and in-person visits were used for collecting sociodemographic data, dental training experiences, and attitudes toward aging, and employing the validated Brazilian versions of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-Braz) and Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the JSE and ASDS-Braz, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was then employed to explore the relationships between total ageism score, total empathy score, and other factors.

RESULTS

CFA for ASDS-Braz and JSE and the SEM showed marginal root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) values and displayed expected loading directions. Among 626 predoctoral dental students (91.5% response rate), SEM revealed significant associations between the university attended and total empathy score with total ageism score, and sex with total empathy score.

CONCLUSION

Among southern Brazilian dental students, university attended and overall empathy levels are strongly linked to the total ageism score. At the same time, gender shows a significant correlation with the overall empathy score.

Exploring ageism and elderly care in dentistry: A comprehensive scoping review

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aims to investigate the perceptions of dental professionals regarding aging and geriatric dentistry, as well as to identify studies focused on ageism in dental care.

DATA

The review followed guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR. A systematic search was conducted in the databases, covering the period from 2019 to 2024.

SOURCES

PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Articles focusing on ageism or oral health in the elderly were included, while those with methodological flaws, duplicates, or unrelated content were excluded.

CONCLUSIONS

A total of 28 articles were included in the final analysis. The results reveal significant cultural differences in how ageism impacts dental care, with many dental professionals unprepared to treat elderly patients with physical and cognitive limitations. Geriatric dentistry remains underrepresented in dental curricula in some countries, leading to a shortage of specialized professionals. This review underscores the need for further research on the perspectives of practicing dentists and elderly patients to improve care and address the barriers caused by ageism.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The review emphasizes the critical need to address ageism in dental care to enhance the quality of treatment for elderly patients. Effective strategies to counteract age-related biases can lead to improved clinical outcomes and more equitable care for all age groups.

Geriatric dentistry course effect against ageism among dental students: A cohort study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of geriatric dentistry courses as a combating strategy against ageism among dental students.

METHODS

A pre-post prospective study was conducted in three different dental schools located in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, that offered geriatric dentistry courses in their curricula. A questionnaire specifically developed for this research and the "Ageism Scale for Dental Students" (ASDS) were applied before and after geriatric dentistry courses in all three dental schools.

RESULTS

Among 184 dental students, 51.6% (n = 95) improved their ageism scores. Dental students who improved ASDS scores were more likely to be from a public dental school (56 .7% vs. 40.4%; p = .040), in their 8th and 10th semesters (56 .7% vs. 40.4%; p = .040), and females (55 .6% vs. 36.8%; p = .040). Other factors such as age, ethnicity, history of living with older adults, history of taking care of older adults, and knowledge of ageism were not significantly associated with ageism score improvement. Only institutional affiliation and age remained significant predictors in the final model.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the main variables correlated with reducing ageism among dental students were institutional affiliation and age.

Ageism combating strategies in oral healthcare: A systematic review

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to investigate the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of strategies aimed at combating ageism against older adults among dental students.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify articles from seven electronic databases: MEDLINE via the PubMed interface, Embase, Age-Line, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane.

RESULTS

Among twenty-four references reporting on ageism among oral health care providers and/or students, only two reported on the outcomes of strategies for combating ageism at dental schools, with a 12-year gap between them. Both studies showed that non-geriatric-specific clinical activities during dental school might reduce ageism among students. Notably, each article used a different tool to assess ageism.

CONCLUSION

Although the dental literature calls for action to reduce ageism in many published articles, there is a need for more studies evaluating the outcomes of strategies to combat ageism in oral healthcare.

Validation of the Polish version of an Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-PL)

BACKGROUND

Ageism is one of the common forms of discrimination and prejudice. It has also been shown to be present in health professionals, including doctors, nurses, and medical students.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to translate the Ageism Scale For Dental Students (ASDS) into Polish, perform a culture adaptation, and conduct a preliminary validation analysis.

METHODS

The survey was administered to 202 third-, fourth-, and fifth-year students at the Jagiellonian University (No. 1072.6120.283.2020). Data were analyzed using principal components analysis (PCA) with an oblique, Promax rotation, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's alpha (α) was calculated to check the internal consistency reliability. Discriminant validity was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

PCA produced a 10-item scale distributed into three factors, which explains 59.52% of the total variance. Factor 1 ("preconceived notions about dental treatment") contained four items (α = 0.703), Factor 2 ("cost-benefit of providing care for older patients")-four items (α = 0.660) and Factor 3 ("dentist-older patient interaction")-two items (α = 0.662). CFA confirmed that the model is a good fit (RMSE = 0.058, 90% CI from 0.014 to 0.092, CFI = 0.950, and TLI = 0.926). The discriminant validity showed statistically significant differences in factors or individual items related to the year of the study, gender, and having a history of living with an older person(s) or an older patient(s) treated.

CONCLUSION

The validation of the ASDS conducted in Poland identified 10 items with sufficient validity and reliability.

Ageism in dental students - a multicentric study in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVES

Gerontological education and intergenerational contact are proven strategies for effectively combating ageism. In this context, this study investigates the association between gerontological education, intergenerational contact, and ageism among dental students.

METHODS

Gerontological education from students' perspective, intergenerational contact, and ageism were assessed using a questionnaire containing sociodemographical aspects and an ageism scale (ASDS-Braz). The sample included students enrolled in the final year of dental programs at three public universities in southern Brazil. A multilevel Poisson regression was conducted to assess factors associated with ASDS-Braz scores.

RESULTS

A modest correlation was identified between dental schools in terms of reducing ageism, and a weak correlation was found between self-reported race and ageism. Notably, statistically significant findings were observed across family relationship with older individuals: students who reported having a poor relationship with older adults in their families presented 45% higher ageism scores than did those with an excellent relationship.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that while some gerontological education was reported by the participants, it may not be sufficient to prepare dental students to provide effective oral healthcare to older adults and to reduce ageism among them. Additionally, reinforcing positive aspects of intergenerational relationships may be an additional strategy in combating ageism within this population.

Factors associated with predoctoral and graduate dental students' intention to care for elderly patients: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Ageism among pre-doctoral and graduate dental students may reduce their propensity to provide dental treatment to elderly patients leading to substandard healthcare for this population. This study evaluated the impact of perceived ageism constructs and geriatric dentistry education on the intention of pre-doctoral and graduate students to provide dental care for elderly patients.

METHODS

A questionnaire was applied to collect the data for this cross-sectional study from pre-doctoral students in their clinical years and graduate students in their internship year (N = 201). A total of 183 completed responses were received, and the response rate was 91%. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to determine the incremental effects of perceived ageism constructs and geriatric dentistry education on the intention to provide dental care for elderly patients.

RESULTS

Geriatric dental education (B = 0.328, t = 3.826, p < 0.001) and patients' low compliance (B = 0.503, t = 4.658, p < 0.001) were significantly positive predictors of pre-doctoral and graduate students' intentions to care for elderly patients. Also, negative attitudes toward the lives of elderly people have a substantial adverse effect on the intention of care for this population (B = -0.225, t = -2.206, p = 0.029). Cronbach's alpha for the scale constructs ranged from 0.738 to 0.886.

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced geriatric training may cultivate pre-doctoral and graduate students' deeper understanding and recognition of the intellectual and practical benefits that might arise from offering dental care to elderly people.

Ageism scale for dental students (ASDS): A focus group review of content validity

PURPOSE/AIM

Improve content validity of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) and identify barriers to using the scale.

METHODS

Thematic analysis of transcripts of three purposively sampled focus groups of 1) geriatric dentistry specialists, 2) older adult dental patients, and 3) dental students.

RESULTS

Twenty-five participants engaged in focus groups. No new concepts to define ageism were identified. Experts found the scale acceptable and appropriate, yet they raised specific potential revisions to scale questions. Commonly reported themes already addressed by ASDS included the importance of tailoring decision-making to patient preference and not making assumptions about older adults' capacity or preferences for dental care. Barriers to identifying ageism or using the scale included experiential differences in interpreting scale items, cultural differences in attitudes towards older adults, and potential overlap with social determinants of health. Secondary findings include recommendations for older-adult focused training for dental students to provide positive, concrete guidance on caring for older adults.

CONCLUSION

There are opportunities to refine the Ageism Scale for Dental Students and to allow tailoring of the scale for specific national or cultural contexts.

Translation and validation of ageism scale for dental students into Malay language

AIMS

Identifying ageism among dental students is essential in gerodontology courses. This study aimed to perform a preliminary validation of a Malay version of the ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-My).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The 27-item ASDS were translated into Malay language and completed by 168 dental students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Promax rotation, Polychoric Correlation Matrix and Principal Axis Factoring was conducted. Internal consistency reliability and discriminative validity were analysed. Criterion validity was measured by comparing ASDS-My with Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). A Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin of 0.612 and a Bartlett's Test of Sphericity yielding p < .001 confirmed the adequate factorability. EFA revealed a 15-items scale distributed into five-factors explaining 54.5% of overall variance, with acceptable reliability. The two factors involved cost-benefit of dental treatment on older patients and challenges during medical history taking. The third, fourth and fifth factors explained attitude towards older patients, negative views of older patients and exposure of dental students to Gerodontology training and experiences respectively. Most factors were significantly positively related to FSA. Discriminative validity revealed significant differences for gender, place of stay and year of study.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary validation of the ASDS-My produced a five-factors 15-items scale with acceptable validity and reliability.

Translation and validation of the ageism scale for dental students in Iran (ASDS-Persian)

AIMS

A longer life and the growing population of older adults are the achievements of the 20th century. The World Health Organization considers ageism an important barrier to age-appropriate care for older adults. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the ageism scale for dental students in Iran (ASDS-Persian).

METHODS

The 27-question ASDS was translated from English into Persian (Farsi) and completed by 275 dental students from two universities in Isfahan, Iran. Principal component analysis (PCA), internal consistency reliability, and discriminant validity were estimated. Furthermore, in this study we conducted an analytical cross sectional study among dental students of Isfahan province (two universities) with the aim of proving data regarding their ageism beliefs and attitudes.

RESULTS

PCA revealed an 18-question, four-component scale with acceptable validity and reliability. The four components are 'barriers/concerns on dental treatment in older adults', 'opinions about older adults', 'practitioner's perspective,' and 'older adults' perspective'.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary validation of ASDS-Persian produced a new 18-question scale with four components with acceptable validity and reliability. This instrument could be further tested in larger samples in Farsi speaking countries.

Correlation between attitude towards dental care for older adults and ageism in dental students and clinical trainees: Cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Since the needs for dental care among older adults in Japan are expected to increase in the future, this study aimed to examine the influence of ageism among dental students and clinical trainees on the attitude towards the older adults in dental care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2022, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 9th-, 11th-semester dental students and first-year clinical trainees enrolled at Kyushu Dental University, using the Japanese version of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-J), Japanese version of Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA-J). Questions on intention to provide dental care to the older adults, relationships with the older adults and living with the older adults were also surveyed.

RESULTS

There were 162 participants (84 males and 78 females), and the response rate was 71.7%. The participants were divided into the positive group for dental care to older adults (68 respondents) and the negative group (94 respondents). The ASDS-J score of the negative group was significantly higher than that of the positive group [49 (36-66) vs. 52 (34-88), p < .001]. The binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio of being negative attitude was 1.1 per one point of ASDS-J (95% confidence interval: 1.0-1.2) in the model adjusted for student grade, interaction with the older adults, gender, experience living with the older adults and FSA-J.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that ageism specific to dental students and clinical trainees (as assessed using the ASDS-J) was independently correlated with negative attitudes towards dental care for older adults.

Validation of ageism scale for dental students in India: (Ageism Scale for Dental Students- India) - a cross sectional study

Background: Ageism persists in many different societies as it is innate and subconscious in nature. Negative effects such as loneliness, mistreatment, and occupational discrimination are frequently present due to ageism. The dental students in our study were wary of the possible benefits of expensive dental care because ageism is rife in their field. There is no validated and reliable ageism scale to assess how dental students perceive ageism in India. The current study was carried out to validate the ageism scale for dental students in the Indian context.

METHODS

This was a cross sectional analytical study carried out among both males and females in Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore in which the instrument was 27-item Ageism scale for dental students. Content validity was done by six subject experts. The final version was administered to 213 students/Residents of dental school. The factorability of data was confirmed with KMO = 0.61 and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity resulting in p < 0.001.

RESULTS

Final PCA model resulted in 15 items and six components that together accounted for 70.37% of overall variance. The six components had reliability ranging from marginal 0.51 (Component 6) to a high of 0.81 (Component 3). As per the gender differences by component females showed less ageism than men in "non-compliance" (-0.9(-1.66-0.14), p<0.05) and "practitioner perspective" (1.43 (0.84, 2.03), p<0.01). Statistical significance was seen in Barriers/concerns in dental treatment of elderly where residents showed reversed (1.4 (0.41, 2.38), p<0.01). Urban group showed more ageism for component 'time restraint' (-0.79 (-1.57, -0.02), p<0.05.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary validation resulted in 15 item scale with six components with acceptable validity of the ageism scale and could be further tested in large samples. This scale will help recognize ageism in Indian context and provide necessary information to make changes in the curriculum as required.

Specific form of ageism in dental care: Convergent validity of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students and its implications for education

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organisation considers ageism as an important barrier to age-appropriate care for older adults. An Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) has been validated in the United States, Brazil, Greece, Romania and in France. At present, the convergent validity of ASDS has never been evaluated. Moreover, a specialised and disciplinary tool as the ASDS may not overlap with more general ageism assessment which may highlight the need for specific courses during the education of the future health professionals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The survey was administered from December 2020 to January 2021. All the undergraduate students of the last 3 years of study at the dental school of Clermont-Ferrand were invited to complete both scales. Two hundred sixteen students were randomly divided into two equal groups. The first group answered first Aging Semantic Differential- ASD then ASDS, the second in reverse order. The convergent validity between ASDS and ASD was assessed by computing a Pearson correlation coefficient and discriminant analysis between each component of the two scales.

RESULTS

The response rate was of 53.7%. The correlation analysis conducted on the total scores of the ASDS and of the ASD shows a significant, yet weak relationship. The discriminant analysis indicates that only the first component of the ASDS is significantly associated with each dimension of the ASD, whereas the second component is totally independent from the ASD and the third component almost independent from the ASD, except for the integrity dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

This specialised questionnaire may assess a form of ageism that is not captured at all in more general scales. Such a scale may help to identify the different dimensions of ageism among dental students which is required to reduce ageism in medical care. This reduction should pass by adapted courses in gerodontology.

Greek dental students' perceptions of treating older patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The oral problems of the older population are largely undertreated because of various barriers, including negative perceptions and ageist stereotypes, among care providers. The aim of this study was to record the perceptions of Greek dental students of treating older patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An anonymous written questionnaire including two open-ended questions about the positive and negative issues when treating older patients was administered to clinical dental students. A content analysis was conducted to identify the main themes.

RESULTS

A total of 135 students responded to the questionnaire (response rate 88.23%). Five key themes were identified for the facilitating factors and six for the barriers/challenging factors. The facilitating factors of treating older people were the promotion of the patients' health and quality of life, the good interaction and communication with older patients, the dentist's intrinsic reward treating older people, the positive feedback from the patients and the improvement of professional dental competences when treating complex cases. The barriers included communication and cooperation problems, treatment challenges related to disease and disability, patients' negative beliefs about oral health, barriers to accessing dental care, complex and time-consuming treatment plans, and communication and cooperation problems with the patients' carers.

CONCLUSION

A range of facilitating and challenging factors influence dental students' perceptions of treating older patients. More research is necessary on the methods that will enhance their geriatric knowledge and skills, help them overcome the challenges they detected and improve their attitudes and behaviours towards treating older patients.

Translation and validation of an ageism scale for dental students in Switzerland

PURPOSE

This study aimed to validate an ageism scale for dental students in Switzerland.

METHODS

The original scale was first translated to German and then evaluated by 14 experts for relevance; four items were eliminated. Validation of the resulting questionnaire was performed at three Swiss dental schools. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed; Cronbach's alpha (α) was used to assess the internal consistency reliability, and Pearson's coefficient to identify any correlations with demographic parameters (P < 0.05).

RESULTS

PCA revealed 11 items among 4 factors (Overall: 11 items, α = 0.63, variance = 56.6%; Factor #1 (F1): items = 3, α = 0.64; Factor #2 (F2): items = 3, α = 0.42; Factor #3 (F3): items = 3, α = 0.35; Factor #4 (F4): items = 2, α = 0.37). F1 and F4 were correlated with clinical experience (F1: P = 0.042; F4: P = 0.006) and participation in a gerodontology course (F1: P = 0.021; F4: P = 0.004). F1 was correlated with experience of dealing with the elderly (P = 0.031), while residence locality was correlated with F3 (P = 0.047) and F4 (P = 0.043). F2 was correlated with the presence of elderly in the family (P = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

The translated dental ageism questionnaire for Switzerland resulted in an 11-item scale with acceptable reliability.

Translation and preliminary validation of the Serbian version of an ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-Serb)

AIMS

The ageist attitudes among dental clinicians may result in inadequate treatment planning and reduce quality of life for older adults. This study aimed at performing a preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students (ASDS) in Serbia (ASDS-Serb).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The 27-item ASDS was translated from English into Serbian and completed by 129 dental students. Principal component analysis (PCA), Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity were estimated. PCA produced a 17-item scale distributed into five factors that explain 64.24% of the total variance. All items showed high to moderate reliability (0.50-0.83). CFA indicates an acceptable model fit with significant standardized factor loadings ranging from 0.14-0.99. The first factor dealt with negative views of older adults' life and dental treatment, the second factor related to ethical values about older people, the third factor compared younger and older adults in dental care and the fourth factor related to difficulties in medical history taking. The fifth factor related to perceptions of oral health and treatment of older adults. Discriminant validity revealed significant differences related to the semester of studies, gender and having older people in the family.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary validation of the ASDS-Serb resulted in a 17-item scale distributed into the five factors with acceptable validity and reliability.

Translation and preliminary validation of a French version of an ageism scale for dental students

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The World Health Organization considers ageism an important barrier to age-appropriate care for older adults. A new ageism scale for dental students (ASDS) has been validated in the United States, Brazil, Greece and Romania. The aim of this study was to validate a French version (ASDS-Fr).

METHOD AND MATERIALS

The 27-item ageism scale was translated from English into French, and its content validity was investigated using the content validity index. The translated version was completed by 180 dental students in the Dental School of Clermont-Ferrand in France. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed and internal consistency reliability was calculated.

RESULTS

The final PCA model resulted in 10 items and three components that together accounted for 57.2% of the overall variance. The first component contained four items that point to a negative view of older adults; the second contained three items that appeared to reflect an absolving of responsibility for providing care to older adults; and the third contained three items that deal with gerodontology education.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary validation of the ASDS-Fr produced a new 10-item scale with three components with acceptable validity and reliability.

Translation and validation of the ageism scale for dental students in Romanian (ASDS-Rom)

AIMS

The aim of this paper was to validate the Romanian version of an ageism scale for dental students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The initial 27-item ageism scale was translated into Romanian and administered to 210 dental students in Craiova. The data were analysed using principal components analysis (PCA) with an orthogonal, Varimax rotation. The answers were then compared across several demographic variables using a combination of independent samples t tests and one-way between-subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA).

RESULTS

Adequate factorability was confirmed with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) of 0.676 and a Bartlett's Test of Sphericity yielding P < 0.001. PCA revealed a 10-item scale distributed into three components that accounted for 58% of the overall variance. The first component contained 4 items related to the cost-benefit of providing care to older patients (α = 0.80). The second contained 3 items that revolved around the perceptions about older people and their value in the society (α = 0.59). The third contained 3 items related to gerodontology training (α = 0.46). Discriminant validity showed differences in the first component based on whether a student had an older family member.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10-item, three components scale demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability.