A Spanish Adaptation of the Computer and Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaires (CPQ and MDPQ) for Older Adults.

Carmen Moret-Tatay,Walter R Boot,Eugenia Gutierrez,Neil Charness,María José Beneyto-Arrojo

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01165

Carmen Moret-Tatay, Walter R Boot + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01165

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Abstract

Technology can help support the goal of many older adults to live independently, though cognitive, attitudinal, and other barriers often result in a “digital divide” in which older adults use and adopt new technology at a lower rate compared to younger adults. Due to the many potential benefits of technology it is not surprising that interest in tools that assess technology proficiency among older adults has increased. These tools can help support older adult technology research and training. However, to understand these issues more broadly, especially cross-cultural determinants of technology proficiency, translated, validated, and standardized measures of proficiency are necessary. For example, according to the last Eurobarometer (European Commission, 2015), Spain has experienced the largest increase in technology adoption among European Union nations in the past few years, indicating potential cultural mediation of technology adoption and use. To benefit the investigation of cross-cultural differences and their causes, we adapted the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ) and Computer Proficiency Questionnaire (CPQ) for older adults in Spain, including the full and brief forms of each measure. Consistent with English versions of the questionnaires, the scales and their subscales were found to be reliable and valid measures of mobile device and computer proficiency in Spanish older adults. However, in contrast to earlier studies, the factor structure for both questionnaires simplified into two factors for the population under study. We conclude that the Spanish versions of the MDPQ and CPQ can be employed as useful tools for measuring mobile device and computer proficiency in the Spanish older adult population for research and training purposes.

Highlights

In recent decades we have witnessed a rapid proliferation of information and communication technology (ICT)
Seniors are commonly described as late adopters of technology in Spanish Adaptation of the Computer Proficiency Questionnaire (CPQ) and Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ)
The current study aims to adapt two new measures of the proficiency and use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets (Roque et al, 2016) and computers (Boot et al, 2015) for a Spanish population

Summary

Introduction

In recent decades we have witnessed a rapid proliferation of information and communication technology (ICT). Older adults have been described as “digital immigrants” since in a relatively short period of time they had to immigrate from an analog world to a digital one (Yuan et al, 2016; Wang et al, 2019). Not surprisingly, this issue has been addressed from both a theoretical perspective and an applied one, because technology plays an increasingly important role in work, education, communication, and entertainment (e.g., Czaja et al, 2006; Charness and Boot, 2009). It is important to understand barriers to technology use and adoption, and potential facilitators, to ensure that individuals of all ages can reap the benefits of existing and emerging technologies, as described in recent metaanalysis (Scherer et al, 2019)

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