title: Modification and psychometric testing of the Reminiscence Functions Scale.
abstract: This article describes the psychometric evaluation of the Modified Reminiscence Functions Scale (MRFS). The 39-item MRFS was validated on a sample of 271 racially diverse older adults. Psychometric analysis included content validity, item analysis, principal component analysis with varimax rotation, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha. The model's structure supports a seven-factor, 39-item scale. Test-retest and Cronbach's alpha for the instrument were .82 and .94, respectively. The seven-factor scale: self-regard, death, bitterness, intimacy, teach-inform, boredom, and conversation accounted for 61% of variance. Evidence indicates the self-report Likert instrument is a reliable and valid measure of reminiscence functions. Cross-validation with other populations and further research is needed to identify other reminiscence dimensions-functions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, California State University, Los Angeles 90032-8171, USA. gwash@calstatela.edu
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Washington
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology