Journal article
The Iowa Coding Scheme for Elderspeak (ICodE): Development and Validation
The Gerontologist, Vol.65(6), gnaf093
06/2025
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnaf093
PMCID: PMC12065398
PMID: 40037813
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Elderspeak is communication that sounds like babytalk and is a common form of communication often used in dementia care. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate the Iowa Coding for Elderspeak (ICodE) scheme, as a means of standardizing the coding of elderspeak across studies.
The ICodE categorizes communicative interactions by nursing staff into five states that encompass who is speaking, who is being addressed, and in what manner. ICodE also captures different attributes of elderspeak, such as vocabulary usage and prosodic modifications. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were evaluated for each communication state. Convergent validity was evaluated by comparing the use of elderspeak to ratings of emotional tone by 31 community-dwelling older adults and to the occurrence of rejection of care during 88 observations of hospital dementia care.
Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were excellent for each communication state with confidence intervals ranging from moderate to excellent. Convergent validity with the emotional tone ratings was established for 10 of the 11 elderspeak attributes, indicating that older adults perceive these attributes as more patronizing and/or less respectful than neutral speech. Convergent validity with rejection of care was established for eight of the attributes, suggesting that these aspects of elderspeak were also negatively perceived by individuals living with dementia.
The ICodE is an evidence-based coding scheme that can reliably and validly document the use of elderspeak by nursing staff and that will facilitate uniformity in elderspeak research going forward.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Iowa Coding Scheme for Elderspeak (ICodE): Development and Validation
- Creators
- Clarissa A Shaw - University of IowaJean K Gordon - University of Rhode IslandCaitlin Ward - University of MinnesotaLainie Jackson - University of Iowa Health CareNathan Shaw - University of IowaKristine N Williams - University of Kansas Medical Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Gerontologist, Vol.65(6), gnaf093
- DOI
- 10.1093/geront/gnaf093
- PMID
- 40037813
- PMCID
- PMC12065398
- NLM abbreviation
- Gerontologist
- ISSN
- 1758-5341
- eISSN
- 1758-5341
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press; CARY
- Grant note
- Sigma Theta Tau International Small GrantMidwest Nursing Research Society Joseph and Jean Buckwalter Dissertation GrantBarbara and Richard Csomay Gerontology Research AwardNational Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health: F31NR018580
This work was funded by the Sigma Theta Tau International Small Grant, the Midwest Nursing Research Society Joseph and Jean Buckwalter Dissertation Grant, the Barbara and Richard Csomay Gerontology Research Award for PhD Students and Postdoctoral Fellows, and the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under award number F31NR018580. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 03/04/2025
- Date published
- 06/2025
- Academic Unit
- Communication Sciences and Disorders; Family and Community Medicine; Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984798229502771
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