Empty Nest Syndrome Assessment Inventory (ENSAI)

Abstract

The Empty Nest Syndrome Instrument (ENSAI), developed by Pirzadeh et al. in 2023, utilizes a specific collection of signs and symptoms to evaluate parents who are experiencing the empty nest phenomenon. The creation of the ENSAI was motivated by the absence of a dedicated tool for assessing empty nest syndrome (ENS) among parents in Iran. Through a process involving interviews with parents, an initial set of 25 items was drafted. This pool was refined to the final 21-item ENSAI based on themes from a literature review, discussions with a panel of experts, and an evaluation of face validity. The instrument’s validation was conducted using a sample of Iranian parents. The analysis, including both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, confirmed a six-factor structure that retained all 21 items. The study also provided comprehensive results regarding the instrument’s reliability (specifically internal consistency), content validity, sensitivity, and specificity.

Keywords

Anxiety and Depression; Cut Off Points; Empty Nest Syndrome; Face Validity; Grief and Loss; Incompetency; Insomnia; Loneliness; Older Adult Parents; Persian Version; Purposelessness; Screener

Authors

Pirzadeh, Nasim; Yarelahi, Mahsa; Nazari, Mahin; Asadollahi, Abdolrahim

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Purpose

This instrument was designed with the primary goal of identifying and screening for the presence of empty nest syndrome (ENS) among the older adult population in Persia.

Construct

The primary psychological construct measured by this instrument is Empty Nest Syndrome.

Validity

The instrument’s validity was assessed through multiple methods. For content validity, the quantitative indices, including the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR), were determined to be at acceptable levels.
For sensitivity and specificity, specific cutoff points were established for each subscale and the total score. The cutoff scores were as follows: Loneliness (8), Purposelessness (7), Anxiety and Depression (17.5), Insomnia (11), Grief and Loss (11), Incompetency (8), and the total ENSAI score (61). The overall sensitivity for the total score was 0.85, with a range of 0.80 to 0.90 across the individual factors. The specificity for the total score was 0.640, with a range of 0.60 to 0.740 across the factors.

Reliability

The instrument’s internal consistency was demonstrated through several robust metrics. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was calculated at 0.90 (with a p-value < .001 and a 95% Confidence Interval between 0.89 and 0.92). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.836, and the Fleiss’s kappa coefficient was reported as 0.80.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): The EFA results indicated that the ENSAI possesses a six-factor structure, which collectively explains 79.789% of the variance associated with Empty Nest Syndrome. All 21 questions were retained in the final instrument because they exhibited factor loadings ranging from good to excellent (0.60 to 0.96). The individual factors (1 through 6) were found to explain 5.370%, 12.161%, 13.398%, 12.124%, 8.023%, and 9.819% of the variance, respectively.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): The CFA confirmed the model’s fit. The chi-square (x2) test value was 96.316 with 84 degrees of freedom, yielding an index value of 1.436 and a p-value greater than 0.05, which indicates a good fit. Additional fit indices further supported the model: the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) was 0.027. The Incremental Fit Index (IFI), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Non-Normed Fit Index (NNFI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), and Adjusted Goodness-of-Fit Index (AGFI) were 0.90, 0.91, 0.92, 0.90, and 0.92, respectively. The Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI), an absolute fit index, was 0.90.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Screener
Format: The instrument consists of 21 items that are rated on a five-point Likert scale. It is administered using a paper-based format.
Language Available: English; Persian (Farsi)
Population Group: Human; Male and Female parents
Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Population Details: The validation study was conducted in Iran with a sample of Persian and Kurdish parents who were classified as older adults.
Test Methodology: Test Validity; Construct Validity; Content Validity; Test Reliability; Internal Consistency; Factor Analysis; Confirmatory Factor Analysis; Exploratory Factor Analysis; Test Sensitivity; Test Specificity

Keywords

Cutting Scores; Emotional Responses; Empty Nest; Functional Status; Parent Child Relations; Family and Parenting Measures; Face Validity; Older Adulthood; Mental Health Screening

Authors

Author orcid Identifier and Affiliation

• Pirzadeh, Nasim: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0518-6433

  • Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Science

• Yarelahi, Mahsa: No data is Available

  • Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Science

• Nazari, Mahin: No data is Available

  • Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Science

• Asadollahi, Abdolrahim: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2265-5641

  • Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Science

Email addresses

• Asadollahi, Abdolrahim: [email protected]

Correspondence Address

• Asadollahi, Abdolrahim: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Department of Gerontology, 3rd Floor, Razi Ave, P.O. Box: 7153675541, Shiraz, Iran, Islamic Republic of, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Information regarding permissions to use this instrument can be obtained by contacting the publisher. The instrument is not intended for commercial use, and there is no fee associated with its utilization. The instrument was developed in the year 2023.

Reference’s

Pirzadeh, N., Yarelahi, M., Nazari, M., & Asadollahi, A. (2023). The empty nest syndrome assessment instrument: Development and psychometric properties of Persian version among Iranian older adults. Educational Gerontology, 49(12), 1100–1115. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2023.2209457

Items of the Empty Nest Syndrome Instrument

The complete list of the 21 items for this measure is available for review in the source publication cited above, specifically located in Appendix 1 on pages 1114-1115. These items are organized into six distinct factors or subscales, which are:

• Loneliness

• Purposelessness

• Anxiety and Depression

• Insomnia

• Grief and Loss

• Incompetency

جملات زیر نشان دهنده احساساتی است که شما بعد از رفتن فرزندان از خانه تجربه کرده اید. برای هر جمله لطفا بیشترین و نزدیکترین گزینه را در بخش پاسخنامه به احساسی که دارید با علامت ☒ مشخص کنید.

* Scoring the test: The sum score of items gives the score for each subscale. A higher score means having the ENS. The Reverse Scoring for Items 1, 4, 5, 6, 7.