Development and Validation of Sensitivity for Needs of Elderly Scale Among Caregivers Based on Maslow’s Theory

The world currently lives in an aging society. Demand for elderly caregivers and services is rapidly rising. Elderly care encompasses not only medical care, but also the art of human care. Love and respect are usually considered the backbone of the modality of caregivers. This study aimed at developing a sensitivity for needs of elderly scale (SNES) among caregivers. Maslow’s theory of hierarchical needs, especially stage 3 (love and belongingness needs) and stage 4 (esteem needs), was used as a conceptual framework. This study consisted of four steps. The sample groups for the first two steps of item quality and exploratory factory analysis were 420 nursing students. A three-factor model emerged, which includes the sensitivity of needs for love and empathy, the sensitivity of needs for respect, and the sensitivity of needs for honor and dignity. The newly constructed measure consisted of 10 items, which explained the variance by 52.18%. The third step of confirmatory factor analysis, using a new group of 384 nursing students, indicated the model fit. In the final step, the scale was validated using 171 elderly caregivers. Moderate to strong absolute magnitudes of correlations between the new scale and psycho-moral strength, core self-evaluation, future orientation and self-control, moral disengagement, and caring behavior were found. Incremental validity was tested. Discussion and recommendations for further research and implications of the newly constructed measure were offered.