Large-scale psychometric analysis of the brazilian ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-Braz) - a multicenter study

Abstract

Purpose To reassess the psychometric properties of ASDS-Braz in a large, multicenter sample of Brazilian dental students, aiming to evaluate its factorial structure's robustness and applicability across diverse contexts. Methods Data were collected around 2 years from multiple Brazilian centers, including responses to the ASDS-Braz and demographic variables, and additional questions regarding participants’ experience living with or caring for older adults, as well as their clinical course experience. Data were consolidated for large-scale validation through secondary analysis. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted, with factorability assessed using the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett's test. Principal Axis Factoring with Varimax rotation was applied, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Analyses were performed using SPSS v.28, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results The sample included 1539 dental students from 11 schools, predominantly white (66.3%) and female (72.4%), with most having clinical experience (87.4%). The ASDS-Braz was divided into four factors, with Factors 1 and 2 showing moderate reliability (α = 0.71) given the size of the study. However, other factors and the 10-item scale did not meet the acceptability threshold. Conclusion The ASDS-Braz did not exhibit satisfactory psychometric properties in a large, multicenter sample. It requires restructuring, refinement, and revalidation to ensure its suitability for national research and clinical application in Brazil.