Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale – PGCMS
A 17-item self-report scale designed to measure the multidimensional morale and psychological well-being of older adults.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale – PGCMS was developed by M. Powell Lawton (1975). It is designed to measure Morale and psychological well-being in older adults. The scale is intended for use with Older adults / Geriatric population.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 17 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Agitation, Attitude toward own aging, Lonely dissatisfaction.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Agitation | 4,7,12,13,16,17 | 6 |
| Attitude toward own aging | 1,2,6,8,10 | 5 |
| Lonely dissatisfaction | 3,5,9,11,14,15 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = High morale response (e.g., Yes to positive items, No to negative items), 0 = Low morale response (e.g., No to positive items, Yes to negative items).
The scale includes 13 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 17. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Morale: 0 – 9
- Mid-range Morale: 10 – 12
- High Morale: 13 – 17
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha coefficients typically range from 0.79 to 0.85 for the total scale..
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.