A New Measure of Mobility-Related Behavioral Flexibility and Routines in Old Age

Abstract

Although daily out-of-home mobility is crucial for well-being in later life, the psychological determinants thereof are not yet fully understood. This study describes attitudes toward daily out-of-home mobility from a person-environment interaction perspective and develops an instrument to measure mobility-related behavioral flexibility and routines in old age. Data were drawn from 265 older adults (aged 65–99). An examination of the factorial structure using exploratory factor analysis revealed three main mobility-related factors: behavioral flexibility with regard to environmental challenges, behavioral flexibility with regard to personal challenges, and a preference for routines. The instrument demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and factorial validity. The study contributes toward a better understanding of the motivational aspects of daily out-of-home mobility in later life.