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Psychometric Properties of the Milestones of Recovery Scale-Older Adult Version

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Abstract

The Milestones of Recovery Scale (MORS) is a tool that mental health professionals can use to track clients’ recovery. It has been shown to have good reliability and validity in an adult population. It is important to demonstrate its psychometric properties among the elderly. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the MORS among a multi-ethnic (52 % White) sample of adults 54 and older (M = 67) at several mental health agencies in California. The clients, N = 432, were assessed by two raters each at two time points 2 weeks apart. Ratings were obtained on the MORS, the modified Global Assessment of Functioning scale (mGAF), and the Multnomah Community Ability Scale (MCAS). The MORS demonstrated acceptable reliability: inter-rater r = .65 and test–retest r = .71; the mGAF was .56 and .79; the MCAS was .66 and .85. The validity of the MORS was also supported: mGAF–MORS r = .68 and MCAS–MORS r = .74. This study lends support for the use of the MORS in older adult populations. In addition, this is the first report of the psychometric properties of the MCAS with an entirely older adult sample.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by Contract Number 07-38911 from Mental Health America of Los Angeles.

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Correspondence to Dennis G. Fisher.

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The Institutional Review Board of the California State University, Long Beach approved the protocol and the informed consent form for this study.

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Hess, K.L., Fisher, D.G., Pilon, D. et al. Psychometric Properties of the Milestones of Recovery Scale-Older Adult Version. Community Ment Health J 52, 1098–1105 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-9992-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-9992-7

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