Abdullah Alkhawaldeh, Asem Abdalrahim, Mohammad Saleh, Ahmad Ayed, Anas Nawwaf Abed Alrohman Ababneh, Mohammad Rababa, Alaa Dalky, Rasmieh Al-Amer, Sami Al-Rawashdeh, Omar Al Omari, Mohammed ALBashtawy, Islam Oweidat, Haitham Khatatbeh and Zaid ALBashtawy
This paper aims to validate and adapt the Arabic version of Holden Communication Scale (HCS) for assessing communication skills among old people with dementia in care home.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to validate and adapt the Arabic version of Holden Communication Scale (HCS) for assessing communication skills among old people with dementia in care home.
Design/methodology/approach
A study involving 210 elderly residents from Jordanian care homes was conducted, where they completed the Arabic version of the HCS. Internal consistency and factor analysis techniques were precisely used to assess the scale's reliability. Additionally, cognitive function evaluation used the Arabic iteration of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) questionnaire, while communication skills were comprehensively appraised using the HCS.
Findings
The Arabic HCS has strong content validity, with a one-component structure accounting for 60% of the variation and a three-factor structure accounting for 77.2% of the variance. The original three-subgroup structure of the scale was recreated, and internal consistency varied from 0.85 to 0.87, indicating good reliability.
Originality/value
This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the HCS among old people with dementia residing in care homes. The authors conducted examination of its psychometric properties within this unique population.