Systematic review of scales measuring social support in older adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26490/uncp.sl.2026.10.1.2569Keywords:
assessment, instruments, social support, PRISMA, old ageAbstract
Social support promotes overall health in old age, its proper measurement allows for the identification of older adults at risk of depression or cognitive decline. The purpose of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties of scales that measure social support in older adults. Using the guidelines of the PRISMA statement, a systematic review of the scientific production of social support scales in old age was carried out, the search was conducted in the databases: PudMed, Web Of Science, Scopus, PubPsych, Dialnet, Scielo and Lilacs and focused on the psychometric properties of the scales. Ten articles published between 1987 and 2023, seven validations of existing scales and three investigations on the design of new instruments were selected and analyzed. Reliability values ranging from .84 to .96 and validity values with scores between .31 and .58 were identified, indicating that the scales analyzed have adequate psychometric properties for measuring social support in older adults. It is expected that the results of this research will allow the identification of scales for the design and evaluation of social support programs in old age.
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