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Dyadic Adjustment Scale: A Validation Study among Older French-Canadians Living in Relationships*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2014

Laurence Villeneuve ,
Gilles Trudel ,
Michel Préville ,
Luc Dargis ,
Richard Boyer  and
Jean Bégin
Laurence Villeneuve*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging, Montréal
Gilles Trudel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging, Montréal Fernand Seguin Research Centre, Montreal
Michel Préville
Affiliation:
Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging, Montréal Research Centre of Charles Lemoyne Hospital, Longueuil Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil
Luc Dargis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging, Montréal
Richard Boyer
Affiliation:
Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging, Montréal Fernand Seguin Research Centre, Montreal Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal
Jean Bégin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal
*
†La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : / Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: Laurence Villeneuve, Ph.D. Candidate Department of Psychology Université du Québec à Montréal P.O. Box 8888 Downtown Station Montreal, QC H3C 3P8 (villeneuve.laurence@courrier.uqam.ca)
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Abstract

The principal objective of this study, the first of its kind to use this population, is to describe the factor analysis and validity of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (EAD) among 895 French Canadian seniors living as couples. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling. Results support Spanier’s hierarchical model questionnaire (1976). Results also indicate evidence of validity and reliability satisfactorily set aside for the Affective Expression subscale having a lower Cronbach alpha coefficient. The results also indicate strong validity of the scale according to indices of convergent and discriminant validity. Finally, a discussion is presented addressing considerations to be taken into account for using the questionnaire among older couples.

Résumé

L’objectif principal de cette étude est de décrire la structure factorielle et la validité de l’Échelle d’Ajustement Dyadique (ÉAD) chez 895 aînés canadiens francophones vivant en couple. Il s’agit de la première étude du genre réalisée auprès de cette population. Une analyse factorielle confirmatoire a été réalisée à partir de la modélisation d’équation structurale. Les résultats supportent le modèle hiérarchique du questionnaire de Spanier (1976). Les résultats montrent également des indices de validité et de fidélité satisfaisants mise à part pour la sous-échelle Expression Affective qui présente un coefficient Alpha de Cronbach plus faible. Les résultats indiquent également une bonne validité de l’échelle à partir des indices de validité convergente et discriminante. Enfin, une discussion abordant les considérations à prendre en compte pour l’utilisation du questionnaire chez les couples âgés est formulée.

Keywords

agingconfirmatory factor analysisDyadic Adjustment Scaleolder couplesreliabilityvalidityvieillissementanalyse factorielle confirmatoirecouples âgésÉchelle d’Ajustement Dyadiquefidélitévalidité
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , March 2015 , pp. 26 - 35
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2014 

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Footnotes

*

This research was supported by grants to Gilles Trudel as the principal researcher from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (MOP – 81281), Mental Health Axis of Quebec Network for Research on Aging (Fonds Québécois de Recherche en Santé), and by the Faculty of Human Sciences of Université du Québec à Montréal (trudel.gilles@uqam.ca). Laurence Villeneuve received a doctoral fellowship from “Les Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec”.

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