Development of a scale to measure selection, optimization, compensation (SOC) strategy in late middle-aged women: a methodological study.

The sample was recruited online through convenience and snowball sampling from regional institutions, so it may not represent women without internet access, women outside Korea, or women in other age groups. The paper used exploratory factor analysis only and did not use confirmatory factor analysis, so the four-factor structure needs testing in a new sample. The scale was compared with one existing 12-item SOC measure and showed r=.30 with it; the paper did not test whether scale scores predict aging outcomes, health changes, or response to care. Participants were late middle-aged women without self-reported cognitive impairment, so the scale may not apply to women with cognitive problems or outside 50 to 64 years. Most participants were employed, married, religiously affiliated, and had a bachelor's degree, so results may not apply to women with different work, marital, education, or religious backgrounds.

The authors declared no conflict of interest. The work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korean government.

Do not read the high reliability scores as proof that this scale improves care. It measured reported SOC strategies in 299 late middle-aged women in Korea and did not test any patient outcome or treatment effect.