The Chinese version of the Functionality Appreciation Scale: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across sex and age

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The present work examined the psychometric properties of the Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS) among four Chinese samples of different ages. The invariance of the FAS across sex and age was also tested. Methods Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted to confirm the factorial structure of the FAS among the four Chinese samples of different ages, including middle school adolescents (n = 894, Mage = 12.17 years), high school adolescents (n = 1347, Mage = 15.07 years), young adults (n = 473, Mage = 21.95 years), and older adults (n = 313, Mage = 67.90 years), and the invariance of the FAS across sex and age. Cronbach’s α was used to measure internal consistency, while correlations with theoretically related measures were employed to assess construct validity. Results The FAS had a unidimensional structure and was invariant across sex and age groups. The FAS presented sound psychometric properties in all age groups by sex, with good internal consistency reliability [e.g., high Cronbach’s α values (.91 ~ .97)] and good construct validity. Moreover, group comparisons showed minimal sex differences in functionality appreciation. However, significant age differences were found in functionality appreciation, with older ages generally associated with higher functionality appreciation. Conclusion Overall, the FAS proved to be a sound instrument to be used in the Chinese context; and functionality appreciation was found to be higher in older adults than adolescents or young adults, suggesting the potentially important role of aging in functionality appreciation. Level of Evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study