Validation of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) in a Multicultural South and Southeast Asian Context

Tee Yee Yong; Chen Yik Zhen; Jacob John; Mahmoud Danaee; Leonardo Marchini; Anand Marya; Lindawati S Kusdhany; Maria Angela G Gonzalez; Birlabose Bhuvaneswari; Yuniardini Septorini Wimardhani; Muslita Indrasari

doi:10.1111/scd.70152

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Validation of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) in a Multicultural South and Southeast Asian Context

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Validation of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) in a Multicultural South and Southeast Asian Context

Tee Yee Yong, Chen Yik Zhen, Jacob John, Mahmoud Danaee, Leonardo Marchini, Anand Marya, Lindawati S Kusdhany, Maria Angela G Gonzalez, Birlabose Bhuvaneswari, Yuniardini Septorini Wimardhani, …

Special care in dentistry, Vol.46(2), e70152

03/2026

DOI: 10.1111/scd.70152

PMID: 41810693

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Abstract

Global populations are ageing rapidly, especially in Asia. The Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) was developed in 2018 to assess ageism among dental students. This study aims to validate the ASDS in a multicultural, multi-center Asian context to establish a robust tool for future educational and interventional research in gerodontology education. The original 27-items ASDS was distributed to dental students from five dental schools in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines. Data were randomly split for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA; n = 400) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA; n = 355). Sampling adequacy and Bartlett's test were assessed. EFA employed Oblimin rotation, polychoric correlation matrix and maximum likelihood extraction with iterative item removal. Reliability and internal consistency were evaluated with Cronbach's alpha; convergent and discriminant validity were also examined. EFA revealed 20-items five-factor structure explaining 55.2% of the variance namely therapeutic nihilism, empathy and advocacy, perceived noncompliance and oral health neglect, perceived clinical burden, and confidence and competence. Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.742 to 0.839. CFA of the modified model, with 2 items removed, confirmed the five-factor structure with 2-6 items per factor distribution, and good model fit indices (χ /DF = 3.717, CFI = 0.968, GFI = 0.993, SRMR = 0.055, RMSEA = 0.088). Four factors demonstrated strong convergent validity (AVE ≥ 0.50), while discriminant validity was supported for all factors (HTMT < 0.85). The modified 18-item ASDS demonstrated robust reliability and validity across the five Asian countries, confirming its utility as a cross-cultural tool for assessing ageism in dental education and guiding the development of culturally sensitive strategies to prepare students for geriatric care.

Adult

Ageism

Asia, Southeastern

Education, Dental

Factor Analysis, Statistical

Female

Humans

Male

Psychometrics

Reproducibility of Results

Southeast Asian People

Students, Dental - psychology

Surveys and Questionnaires

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Validation of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) in a Multicultural South and Southeast Asian Context
Creators: Tee Yee Yong - Malaysian Rubber Board
Chen Yik Zhen - Klinik Pergigian Sungai Besar, Jalan Sungai Limau, Sungai Besar, Selangor, Malaysia
Jacob John - University of Malaya
Mahmoud Danaee - University of Malaya
Leonardo Marchini - University of Iowa
Anand Marya - University of Puthisastra
Lindawati S Kusdhany - University of Indonesia
Maria Angela G Gonzalez - City University of Pasay
Birlabose Bhuvaneswari - Ragas Dental College & Hospital
Yuniardini Septorini Wimardhani - University of Indonesia
Muslita Indrasari - University of Indonesia
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Special care in dentistry, Vol.46(2), e70152
DOI: 10.1111/scd.70152
PMID: 41810693
NLM abbreviation: Spec Care Dentist
ISSN: 0275-1879
eISSN: 1754-4505
Publisher: Wiley
Language: English
Date published: 03/2026
Academic Unit: Preventive and Community Dentistry
Record Identifier: 9985144719102771

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