Empty Nest Syndrome Assessment Inventory – ENSAI
Evaluates the presence and severity of Empty Nest Syndrome (ENS) among parents whose children have left home.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Empty Nest Syndrome Assessment Inventory – ENSAI was developed by Pirzadeh, Nasim; Yarelahi, Mahsa; Nazari, Mahin; Asadollahi, Abdolrahim (2023). It is designed to measure Empty Nest Syndrome. The scale is intended for use with Older adult parents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 21 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Loneliness, Purposelessness, Anxiety and Depression, Insomnia, Grief and Loss, Incompetency.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Loneliness | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Purposelessness | 4,5,6 | 3 |
| Anxiety and Depression | 7,8,9,10,11,12 | 6 |
| Insomnia | 13,14,15 | 3 |
| Grief and Loss | 16,17,18 | 3 |
| Incompetency | 19,20,21 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 5 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 21 to 105. Interpretation guidelines:
- Below Cut-off (No Empty Nest Syndrome): 21 – 60
- Above Cut-off (Indicates Empty Nest Syndrome): 61 – 105
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.836.
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.