Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life

The present study aimed to develop generativity and stagnation measures that are suitable for use with older adult samples. To achieve this, two studies were carried out. In the first study, we developed 59 items suitable for inclusion in the instrument and applied them to to a sample of 235 people...

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Main Authors: Feliciano Villar, Carmen Requena, Estela González-González, José A. Fernándes-Pires
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004846
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author Feliciano Villar
Carmen Requena
Estela González-González
José A. Fernándes-Pires
author_facet Feliciano Villar
Carmen Requena
Estela González-González
José A. Fernándes-Pires
author_sort Feliciano Villar
collection DOAJ
description The present study aimed to develop generativity and stagnation measures that are suitable for use with older adult samples. To achieve this, two studies were carried out. In the first study, we developed 59 items suitable for inclusion in the instrument and applied them to to a sample of 235 people who were 60 years and over. After conducting an exploratory factor analysis and a parallel analysis, we selected 23 items distributed into two scales (generativity and stagnation). In a second study, the new scales, as well as other ones to estimate concurrent and discriminant validity, were applied to a new sample of 235 older adults. A CFA confirmed the structural validity of the generativity and stagnation scales. Results suggest that generativity and stagnation are better measured by two separate, independent scales, rather than being two extremes of a single construct. While stagnation seems to be more closely related to eudaimonic well-being, generativity is linked to hedonic well-being and showed a stronger relationship with ego-integrity.
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spelling doaj-art-16abc68a386a4abebf3807c19a11ebec2025-08-20T03:15:08ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-08-0125810517110.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105171Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later lifeFeliciano Villar0Carmen Requena1Estela González-González2José A. Fernándes-Pires3Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, University of León, Spain; Corresponding author at: Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of León, Universidad de León, Facultad de Educación, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain.Department of Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, University of León, SpainDepartment of Psychology, University Rey Juan Carlos, SpainThe present study aimed to develop generativity and stagnation measures that are suitable for use with older adult samples. To achieve this, two studies were carried out. In the first study, we developed 59 items suitable for inclusion in the instrument and applied them to to a sample of 235 people who were 60 years and over. After conducting an exploratory factor analysis and a parallel analysis, we selected 23 items distributed into two scales (generativity and stagnation). In a second study, the new scales, as well as other ones to estimate concurrent and discriminant validity, were applied to a new sample of 235 older adults. A CFA confirmed the structural validity of the generativity and stagnation scales. Results suggest that generativity and stagnation are better measured by two separate, independent scales, rather than being two extremes of a single construct. While stagnation seems to be more closely related to eudaimonic well-being, generativity is linked to hedonic well-being and showed a stronger relationship with ego-integrity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004846GenerativityStagnationLater lifeEgo-integrityWellbeingScale development
spellingShingle Feliciano Villar
Carmen Requena
Estela González-González
José A. Fernándes-Pires
Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
Acta Psychologica
Generativity
Stagnation
Later life
Ego-integrity
Wellbeing
Scale development
title Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
title_full Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
title_fullStr Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
title_full_unstemmed Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
title_short Development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
title_sort development and validation of scales to measure generativity and stagnation in later life
topic Generativity
Stagnation
Later life
Ego-integrity
Wellbeing
Scale development
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825004846
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AT carmenrequena developmentandvalidationofscalestomeasuregenerativityandstagnationinlaterlife
AT estelagonzalezgonzalez developmentandvalidationofscalestomeasuregenerativityandstagnationinlaterlife
AT joseafernandespires developmentandvalidationofscalestomeasuregenerativityandstagnationinlaterlife