Benefit finding and well-being in older adults: The utility of the General Benefit Finding Scale

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Benefit Finding Questionnaire for people with mental disorders

BACKGROUND

Benefit finding (BF) is correlated with mental health and recovery, and its presence will contribute to the recovery of patients with mental disorders. Most of the current tools for assessing BF in patients with somatic disorders are not adequate for patients with mental disorders. The present study proposes to introduce the Benefit Finding Questionnaire for People with Mental Disorders and to validate its psychometric properties.

METHODS

The Beaton translation model was used to translate and cross-culturally adjust the Japanese version of the Benefit Finding Questionnaire for People with Mental Disorders. A survey of 514 people with mental disorders was conducted from January 2022 to October 2022 using a general information questionnaire and a translated Chinese version of the Benefit Finding Questionnaire for People with Mental Disorders (BFQ-C) using a convenience sampling method. The quality of the questionnaire was examined in terms of item analysis, reliability, and validity.

RESULTS

The results of the item analysis showed that all items met the requirements. The interrater agreement of the BFQ-C was good, with an interrater agreement = 0.714; the values of the item-level content validity index ranged from 0.75 to 1.00; and the average of all item-level content validity index on the scale = 0.958. Exploratory factor analysis extracted three main factors "change in relationship with others," "change in spirituality," and "change in values and thinking styles"-and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 57.70%. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis were χ2/df of 2.194, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation of 0.075, and comparative fit index of 0.919, indicating that the model fitted well. The questionnaire had a Cronbach' alpha of 0.936, a split reliability of 0.956, and a retest reliability of 0.939.

CONCLUSION

The BFQ-C demonstrated good reliability and validity, and can be used to assess the BF level of people with mental disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders) in China.

The Chinese version of the general benefit finding scale (GBFS): Psychometric properties in a sample of college students

BACKGROUND

Benefit finding has become a central construct in the evolution of positive psychology and attracted attention in recent literature. This study aimed to translate and validate the General Benefit Finding Scale (GBFS) in Chinese college students.

METHODS

Forward- and back-translation of the GBFS was followed by the assessment of semantic equivalence and content validity. A sample of 589 college students was recruited in China to conduct reliability and validity analysis. The construct validity was assessed using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Concurrent validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients of the GBFS with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and World Health Organization-Five Well-Being (WHO-5). Internal consistency and two-week test-retest reliability were also evaluated.

RESULTS

The content validity index for each item ranged from 0.83 to 1.00. EFA revealed a six-factor model, which exhibited acceptable goodness of fit in CFA (standardized root mean square residual = 0.031, root mean square error of approximation = 0.059, goodness-of-fit index = 0.860, comparative fit index = 0.904, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.890, chi-squared/degree of freedom = 2.07). The concurrent validity of the GBFS was supported by its statistically significant correlations with PSS (r = -0.271, p<0.001) and WHO-5 (r = 0.354, p<0.001). Moreover, the internal consistency for the overall scale was satisfactory, with Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.93 and McDonald's omega reliability of 0.94. The test-retest reliability was 0.82.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the Chinese version of GBFS was examined in a homogeneous convenience sample of college students, it provides a reliable and valid instrument for assessing benefit finding in the Chinese context.

Sex and aging: Perspectives of older adult women with experience of incarceration

To explore perspectives on sexuality, sexual health, and sexual health care of older adult women with a history of criminal legal system involvement, we conducted phone interviews with women aged 50 years or older who were living in the community but had a history of jail and/or prison incarceration. Interview questions and initial analysis were guided by the sexual health framework for public health and Mitchell's sexual wellness model. Data analysis followed a framework method. Nine women, aged 53-66, participated in phone interviews between December 2020 and December 2021. Slightly over half the participants were Black; none were Hispanic. Most were single. We formulated a sex-in-aging (SAGE) framework comprising three categories and two overarching themes. Women with a history of criminal-legal system involvement have heterogeneous views on sex and sexual health and describe a range of desire and sexual activity as they age, including shifting ideas about what they expect from partners, how they keep themselves safe in sexual and intimate relationships, and how life circumstances that are often associated with criminal legal system involvement (substance use, trauma) impact their interest in sex as they age. The SAGE framework integrates these categories and themes and offers a starting point for further research and intervention development.