Validation of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test

TLDR

Elder abuse is an underdetected and underreported problem, and its detection is hampered by the absence of a standardized, psychometrically valid screening instrument. The study examined the construct validity of the 15‑item Hwalek‑Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H‑S/EAST). The authors evaluated the test’s construct validity by administering the 15‑item H‑S/EAST to elders and comparing responses across substantiated abuse, non‑substantiated abuse, and community control groups. Nine items distinguished substantiated abuse, non‑substantiated abuse, and community controls, indicating the brief H‑S/EAST can aid providers in identifying individuals at high risk for protective services.

Abstract

Elder abuse is recognized as an underdetected and an underreported social problem. Difficulties in detecting elder abuse are compounded by lack of a standardized, psychometrically valid instrument for case finding. The authors examined the construct validity of the 15-item Hwalek- Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST). Nine items were found to discriminate significantly among three groups: (a) elders whose reported abuse was substantiated by adult protective services (APS) case workers, (b) elders whose reported abuse was not substantiated by APS workers, and (c) a community-based comparison group. The data suggest that this short, easy-to-administer screening device can be useful to service providers interested in identifying people at high risk of the need for protective services.