Construction and Validation of the Gendered Ageism Scale (GAS)

Vollständiger Abstract

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Population aging and increasing longevity have radically transformed social dynamics. Older women experience “double discrimination” known as gendered ageism and linked to the intersection of age and gender. Despite the relevance of this construct, no measurement scale for it currently exists. The aim of the research was to construct and validate the Gendered Ageism Scale (GAS). In a first study ( N = 410), an initial set of items was developed; factor analyses were conducted; reliability and convergent validity were analyzed. The second study ( N = 602) tested the stability of the factor structure, invariance, and reliability. The analyses yielded a final 16-item solution comprising four factors: Work Inadequacy, Youth as a Resource, Aesthetic Rigor, and Gender Differences. Both studies confirmed a second-order hierarchical model. Full gender and age measurement invariance was confirmed. The GAS has proven to be a useful instrument for combating intersectional discrimination against older women.