Development and initial validation of the Hopelessness Inventory for Later Life (HILL)

Hopelessness is associated with depression, physical illness, and mortality. It is a key risk factor for suicidality in later life. Limitations have been identified in available hopelessness assessment measures regarding their use with older adults. The current study describes the development and in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aging & mental health 2021-09, Vol.25 (9), p.1740-1749
Main Authors: Gregg, Jeffrey J., Cui, Ruifeng, Edelstein, Barry A., Fiske, Amy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
assessment
Factor analysis
Geriatric psychiatry
HILL
Hopelessness
Life
Measures
Mental depression
older adult
Older people
Quantitative psychology
Questionnaires
Risk factors
Self destructive behavior
Self report
Social anxiety
Social interactions
Social support
Suicidal ideation
Suicide
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Summary:Hopelessness is associated with depression, physical illness, and mortality. It is a key risk factor for suicidality in later life. Limitations have been identified in available hopelessness assessment measures regarding their use with older adults. The current study describes the development and initial psychometric evaluation of a content-valid, self-report scale for late-life hopelessness (i.e. the Hopelessness Inventory for Later Life; HILL). A sample of 265 older adults (ages 60-99, M = 71.1, SD = 6.7) was recruited through a combination of in-person, online, and mailed solicitations. Participants completed a survey battery containing the preliminary HILL and measures of related constructs (e.g. depression, anxiety, suicide risk, social support) to examine its psychometric properties. Multiple analytic item selection strategies resulted in two viable versions of the scale: the HILL and the HILL-Shortened (HILL-S). Both exhibited strong item response characteristics and preliminary evidence of unidimensionality (via factor analysis), internal consistency (α = .96 and α = .89, respectively), and construct validity (via correlations with related constructs). Findings provide preliminary psychometric support for both the HILL and HILL-S. Advantages for use of the HILL and the HILL-S over existing measures of hopelessness are discussed.
ISSN:1360-7863
1364-6915
DOI:10.1080/13607863.2020.1768213