title: Measuring attachment to life in old age: the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Positive VOL).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to present the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Lawton et al. in J Aging Ment Healt 13:3-31, 2001).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample included 207 community-dwelling elders (129 women; M Age = 77.2 years, SD = 7.5). The data collection included the translated and adapted Portuguese version of Positive Valuation of Life Scale, Life Satisfaction Index Z, Meaning in Life Questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From exploratory factor analysis, two factors emerged, existential beliefs and perceived control, explaining 49 % of the total variance. Both factors were positively related with meaning in life and life satisfaction and negatively related with depression (p < 0.05). The values obtained for internal consistency for the total scale and for each subscale were good (α > 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Portuguese version of Positive VOL Scale represents a reliable and valid measure to capture the subjective experience of attachment to one's life. The two-factor structure is an update to Lawton's previous work and in line with findings obtained in the USA (Dennis et al. in What is valuation of life for frail community-dwelling older adults: factor structure and criterion validity of the VOL, Thomas Jefferson University, Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research, 2005) and Japan (Nakagawa et al. in Shinrigaku Kenkyu 84:37-46, 2013). Future research is required to investigate VOL predictors and the potential changes toward the end of the life span.
authors.affiliation: UNIFAI, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.º 228, edifício 2, piso 3, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal. liajaraujo@esev.ipv.pt.|Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (ESEV), Viseu, Portugal. liajaraujo@esev.ipv.pt.
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: UNIFAI, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.º 228, edifício 2, piso 3, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.|Oporto Higher Institute of Social Service (ISSSP), Porto, Portugal.|University of Aveiro (ESSUA), Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: UNIFAI, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.º 228, edifício 2, piso 3, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: UNIFAI, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.º 228, edifício 2, piso 3, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniela S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jopp
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rott
authors.affiliation: UNIFAI, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.º 228, edifício 2, piso 3, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Constança
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paúl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011174:Portugal; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating; D026712:Value of Life
keywords: Old; Portugal; Quality of Life; Validation studies; Very old age
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