LAUSR

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of adequate and validated instruments for the measurement of successful aging for geriatric researchers in Chile. AIM To validate the “Successful Aging Inventory” (SAI) in Chilean older people. MATERIAL AND METHODS SAI was answered by 777 older people aged 70 ± 7 years (63% women) living in urban and rural areas, including the highlands of a Northern desert region of Chile. RESULTS A Cronbach alfa of 0.92 was obtained for the general dimension of successful aging. The figures for each dimension included in the theoretical model (functional performance, intrapsychic factors, gero-transcendence; spirituality; purpose and life satisfaction), and ranged from 0.66 to 0.91. Confirmatory factorial analysis showed that the original inventory model, fits with the data collected from Chilean people. CONCLUSIONS Successful Aging Inventory (SAI) is a reliable and adequate inventory, which can be used in Chilean older people.