Instrument Archive of Social Research on Aging

This project will investigate the feasibility of producing a CD-ROM containing: (1) data collection instruments (self-administered questionnaires, interview protocols, protocols used to abstract medical/clinical records, etc.) used by leading studies in the field of social research on aging; and (2) scales or measures which have been shown to be reliable and valid measures of social and familial relationships, psychological well-being, health, effective functioning, long term care, and cognitive functioning in older Americans. The instruments and scales that will comprise the CD-ROM will represent the "best of the field" and will be chosen with guidance from a National Advisory Panel of experts in gerontology. To facilitate use of the CD-ROM, the disk will also include search and retrieval software to help a user find those portions of the instruments and scales that might be used to measure a given research construct of interest. In addition, a User's Guide to each instrument will provide technical information about the instruments, the scales, and the studies that produced them. The CD-ROM Instrument Archive will organize many years and dollars worth of data collection instruments and scales in a single source. This product should lower the cost of the instrument development phase of the research process, encourage cost-effective reuse of outstanding instruments and scales that work. This product will encourage the replication and refinement of important findings in the field of social gerontology.