Social Participation Scale Research Articles

Older Chinese adults’ social participation and happiness: the mediating effect of spirituality

ABSTRACT This quantitative study explored the relationship between social participation and happiness among older adults in a Chinese context by introducing the mediator of spirituality. The Howden Spirituality Assessment Scale (SAS), the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH), and the Frequency of Social Participation Scale, which was developed specifically for this study, were used to measure older participants’ spirituality, happiness, and social participation. Data were collected from a sample of 658 older participants located in sixteen cities across nine provinces in China and were subsequently analysed via structural equation modelling. Three main conclusions were obtained. First, Chinese older adults’ frequency of social participation was low, their level of spirituality was high, and their sense of happiness was fair. Second, older Chinese adults’ social participation, spirituality, and happiness were positively correlated with each other. Third, older Chinese adults’ spirituality fully mediated the relationship between social participation and happiness. Our data suggest that, first, it is fundamentally necessary to promote social participation among older adults with the aim of improving their happiness; second, older adults’ need for spiritual development and spiritual growth should be viewed as the core goal of the design of social activities; third, spiritual education should be included in the focus on older adult education.

Exploring the challenges of social participation during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia through an occupational therapy lens.

To measure the social participation of people in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among people in Saudi Arabia to measure their participation in social activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A validated questionnaire of Social Participation Scale was used to collect data from five main regions in Saudi Arabia through social media platforms. Means, frequencies, and percentages were calculated through descriptive analysis. Mean scores and standard deviation of social participation of participants were also presented. The total number of participants was 1,560 including Saudi (87.3%) and non-Saudi (12.7%) nationals. Most participants (60.2%) were female. The age of participants ranged between 16 and 24 years old. Around 62.1% of participants were married, 63.2% were educated, 48.4 were employed and 82% were from the Eastern region. Around 72% of participants earned <10,000 riyals per month compared to those (27.3%) who earned <5,000 riyals per month. A total 72.7% of the participants have been diagnosed by COVID-19. The mean score of social participation was 47.81 (SD = 0.27). Most participants (62.7%) reported that social participation was severely restricted. Around 68.2% of the participants were quarantined at the facilities. The social participation of people in Saudi Arabia had been severely restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. An early assessment of people's social participation would help to identify their problems and needs, to help them improve their participation in social activities and thus increase their overall quality of life.

Development of the Self-efficacy for Social Participation scale (SOSA) for community-dwelling older adults

BackgroundSocial participation is important for the health of older adults and super-aging societies. However, relatively few independent older adults in advanced countries actually participate in society, even though many of them have the capacity to do so. One possible reason for this could be a lack of self-efficacy for social participation. However, few scales have been developed to measure self-efficacy for social participation among community-dwelling independent older adults. Therefore, we developed the “Self-efficacy for Social Participation” scale (SOSA) to assess the self-efficacy of community-dwelling independent older adults, and examined the scale’s reliability and validity.MethodsWe distributed a self-administered mail survey to approximately 5,000 randomly selected independent older adults throughout Japan. The construct validity of the SOSA was determined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Criterion-related validity was assessed using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and according to subjective health status.ResultsIn total, 1,336 older adults responded to the survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified 12 items distributed among four factors: instrumental self-efficacy, managerial self-efficacy, interpersonal self-efficacy and cultural self-efficacy. The final model had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90, goodness-of-fit index of 0.948, adjusted goodness-of-fit index of 0.915, comparative fit index of 0.952, and root mean square error of approximation of 0.078. Significant correlations existed between the SOSA score and GSES (r = 0.550, p < 0.01) and subjective health status (r = 0.384, p < 0.01) scores.ConclusionsThe SOSA showed sufficient reliability and validity to assess self-efficacy for social participation among older adults. This scale could aid efforts to improve the physical and mental health, and longevity, of older adults through increased behavioralizing social participation.

Reliability and validity of the Patient Generated Index (PGI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis, a new approach to quality of life

Purpose To evaluate the test-retest reliability and validity of the Patient Generated Index (PGI) in individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CDK) undergoing hemodialysis. Methods Through a non-experimental study with repeated measures, PGI was applied twice to assess internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Correlations with the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF), the Human Activity Profile (HAP) questionnaire, the Social Participation Scale, and the Glittre ADL Test were used. Results 91 individuals with CKD were evaluated. There was high reliability for the PGI (ICC= 0.97) PGI correlated with KQDOL – SF in Functional Capacity r = 0.38 (p < 0.001), Emotional Well-Being r = 0.31 (p = 0.003), Social Aspect r = 0.22 (p = 0.036), Emotional Function r = 0.22 (p = 0.038) and Effect of Kidney Disease r = 0.21 (p = 0.042), and Physical scores r = 0.24 (p = 0.021)), Mental r = 0.21 (p = 0.05) and General r = 0.22 (p = 0.037) summarized. There was a significant correlation between PGI and HAP r = 0.40 (p < 0.001) and the Social Participation Scale r = −0.36 (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between the PGI and Glittre ADL scores r = 0.12 (p = 0.247). Conclusion In adults receiving hemodialysis, the PGI proved to be an accurate and reliable instrument for the assessment of the quality of life from the perspective of the patient. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Although hemodialysis treatment is associated with increased survival and symptom control, there is a significant change in the patient’s lifestyle. In order to provide a more focused view of the individual, the Patient Generated Index (PGI) was created to evaluate the quality of life. PGI is reliable and correlates with KQDOL – SF and the Social Participation Scale in this population.

Psychometric Analysis of a Scale to Assess Social Participation of Chinese Adults

The Social Participation Scale (SPS) is a 17-item questionnaire to assess the social participation of Chinese adults. It was developed using a multimethod approach applying in-depth interviews, qualitative analysis and quantitative psychometric evaluation for construct, convergent validity and internal reliability. In-depth interviews and an expert review panel suggested content validity. Exploratory factor analysis, Confirmation factor analysis, and intercorrelation between dimensions supported construct validity. The SPS was positively correlated with a prosocial tendencies measure and negatively associated with a material values scale, contributing to convergent validity. Internal reliability was also high. These results suggest that SPS has sufficient reliability and validity for use in future research investigating social participation in China and other countries with a few civil organizations.

Perceived Community Age-friendliness is Associated With Quality of Life Among Older Adults.

We examined the positive association between perceived community age-friendliness and self-reported quality of life for older adults. A total of 171 participants, aged 77–96 years, completed a mail-in questionnaire package that included measures of health (SF-36 Physical), social participation (Social Participation Scale), community age-friendliness (Age-Friendly Survey [AFS]), and quality of life (WHO Quality of Life). Hierarchical regression models including age, gender, driving status, finances, health, social participation, and AFS scores explained 8 to 21 per cent of the variance in quality of life scores. Community age-friendliness was a statistically significant variable in all models, accounting for three to six and a half per cent of additional variance in quality of life scores. Although the proportion of variance explained by age-friendliness was small, our findings suggest that it is worthwhile to further investigate whether focused, age-friendly policies, interventions, and communities could play a role towards successful and healthy aging.

CORRELATION BETWEEN QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE CLINICAL RESULTS OF PATIENTS WITH LEPROSY WITH DROP FOOT AFTER TENDON TRANSFER.

ABSTRACTObjective: To evaluate the functional results of surgically correcting drop foot in patients with leprosy and compare their SALSA, Social Participation, and AOFAS score.Methods: Overall, 22 patients were subjected to posterior tibial tendon transfer via the subcutaneous route to the foot dorsum with an average follow-up of 56 months (min 12, max 70). In our sample, 15 of the enrolled patients were men and seven, women, aged between 20 and 73 years old who were operated on from January 2014 to December 2017. The Pearson’s correlation test (r) was used to measure the correlation among those scales. A p < 0.05 was considered significant between the pre- and pos-operative AOFAS scale scores.Results: Pre-operative average AOFAS score was 59.6 (min 35, max 74) and 77.2 postoperative (min 36, max 97) (p < 0.0001), postoperative Salsa and Social Participation scale, 30.6 and 22.5, respectively. Statistical analysis suggests a strong positive correlation between AOFAS and Salsa scales (r = −0.83) and AOFAS and social participation (r = −0.78). Average dorsiflexion was 5.4 degrees.Conclusion: The surgical correction of drop foot positively affects the quality of life and social participation of patients with leprosy. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Study.

Relationship of Coping Strategies and Quality of Life: Parallel and Serial Mediating Role of Resilience and Social Participation among Older Adults in Western Philippines.

Growing old is frequently linked with various challenges. Hence, it is important to understand how to age successfully. Drawing on the concept that an individual’s quality of life (QOL) is influenced by their demographics, coping strategies, resilience, and social participation, the current study reports on the findings of these variables among older adults in the Western Philippines. A total of 392 volunteer older adults were surveyed. Aside from the demographics such as age, gender, marital status, average monthly income, educational attainment, and health status, the data collected also included the 30-item coping strategies for the elderly, 14-item resilience scale, 12-item social participation scale, and 35-item older people’s QOL scale. Structural equation modeling was used to verify the parallel and serial mediating role of resilience and social participation within the relationship between coping strategies and QOL. Findings show that coping strategies alone are not enough to improve QOL. The only way to improve QOL is through resiliency, as well as the ability to participate in social activities. In essence, the QOL of older adults can be improved by encouraging them to have more social participation, and at the same time, understand how it takes to become resilient.

Support for the Reliability and Validity of the National Institutes of Health Impact Stratification Score in a Sample of Active-Duty U.S. Military Personnel with Low Back Pain

Evaluate the Impact Stratification Score (ISS) measure of low back pain impact that assesses physical function, pain interference, and pain intensity. Secondary analyses of a prospective comparative effectiveness trial of active-duty military personnel with low back pain. A Naval hospital at a military training site (Pensacola, Florida) and two military medical centers: 1) Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Bethesda, Maryland); and 2) San Diego Naval Medical Center. The 749 active-duty military personnel had an average age of 31, 76% were male and 67% white. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline, 6-weeks later, and 12-weeks later. Measures included the ISS, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), PROMIS-29 v1.0 satisfaction with social role participation scale, and single-item ratings of average pain, feeling bothered by low back pain in the past week, and a rating of change in low back pain. Internal consistency reliability for the ISS was 0.92-0.93 at the three time points. The ISS correlated 0.75 to 0.84 with the RMDQ, 0.51 to 0.78 with the single-item ratings, and -0.64 to -0.71 with satisfaction with social role participation. The ISS was responsive to change on the three single items. The area under the curve for the ISS predicting improvement on the rating of change from baseline to 6-weeks later was 0.83. This study provides support for the reliability and validity of the ISS as a patient-reported summary measure for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain. The ISS is a useful indicator of low back impact.

Parents' psychological, social and financial outcomes as related to the transition of their offspring with ID from adolescence to adulthood

BackgroundIn general, there is extensive research on parents of young children with ID, particularly studies on stress and coping, social support as associated with quality of life. Unfortunately, there is scarce evidence –based knowledge on parental coping resources and well-being during the transition of their offspring from childhood to adulthood and thereafter. AimsThis research responds to the scarce knowledge on the effect of the transition of children with ID into adulthood and particularly within adulthood on families. It examined the social, psychological, and financial differences among caregivers of offspring with ID in three age groups: (1) under the age of 21; (2) 21–30; (3) 31 and above. Methods and proceduresThree hundred and one caregivers completed an income and expenditure survey, including out-of-pocket expenditures, assets and liabilities index, services use survey, financial and other types of assistance from friends and family, a questionnaire regarding resources and stress levels, a social participation scale, and personal wellbeing index. ResultsA statistically significant differences have been detected in the three caregivers' groups regarding the number of hours spent outside the house, social support, negative feelings such as frustration, sadness, and concern, life satisfaction and well-being. No significant differences have been identified in financial outcomes among caregivers' groups. Conclusions and implicationsFindings are discussed in respect to research and practice and highlight caregivers' concerns regarding the transition of their offspring from adolescence to adulthood and afterward and in parallel to their own aging process.

Activity limitation and social participation restriction of people with leprosy: a cross-sectional analysis of magnitude and associated factors in a hyperendemic municipality in the state of Piauí, Brazil, 2001-2014.

Objective to analyse the magnitude and factors associated with activity limitation and social participation restriction of people with leprosy from 2001 to 2014 in Picos, Piauí, Brazil. Methods this was a cross-sectional study with data collected through interviews and physical examinations; the SALSA Scale (Screening of Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness) and Social Participation Scale were used; crude prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated. Results 263 people with leprosy participated in the study; activity limitation was associated with grade I/II disability (PR=1.66; 95%CI 1.14;2.41), age ≥60 years (PR=1.68; 95%CI 1.09;3.02) and low schooling (PR=1.76; 95%CI 1.26;2.45); correlation was found between eye-hand-foot score and activity limitation (r=0.29; p<0.001) and participation restriction (r=0.27; p<0.001). Conclusion activity limitation and participation restriction had high prevalence in the context studied and were associated with disease severity, advanced age and social vulnerability.

Atmiyata, a community-led intervention to address common mental disorders: Study protocol for a stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial in rural Gujarat, India

BackgroundWhile lay-health worker models for mental health care have proven to be effective in controlled trials, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness and scalability of these models in rural communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Atmiyata is a rural community-led intervention using local community volunteers, called Champions, to identify and provide a package of community-based interventions for mental health, including evidence-based counseling for persons with common mental disorders (CMD).MethodsThe impact of the Atmiyata intervention is evaluated through a stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial (SW-CRCT) with a nested economic evaluation. The trial is implemented across 10 sub-blocks (645 villages) in Mehsana district in the state of Gujarat, with a catchment area of 1.52 million rural adults. There are 56 primary health centers (PHCs) in Mehsana district and villages covered under these PHCs are equally divided into four groups of clusters of 14 PHCs each. The intervention is rolled out in a staggered manner in these groups of villages at an interval of 5 months.The primary outcome is symptomatic improvement measured through the GHQ-12 at a 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include: quality of life using the EURO-QoL (EQ- 5D), symptom improvement measured by the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20), functioning using the World Health Organization’s Disability Assessment Scale (WHO-DAS-12), depression symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms using Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and social participation using the Social Participation Scale (SPS). Generalized linear mixed effects model is employed for binary outcomes and linear mixed effects model for continuous outcomes. A Return on Investment (ROI) analysis of the intervention will be conducted to understand whether the intervention generates any return on financial investments made into the project.DiscussionStepped wedge designs are increasingly used a design to evaluate the real-life effectiveness of interventions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SW-CRCT in a low- and middle-income country evaluating the impact of the implementation of a community mental health intervention. The results of this study will contribute to the evidence on scaling-up lay health worker models for mental health interventions and contribute to the SW-CRCT literature in low- and middle-income countries.Trial registrationThe trial is registered prospectively with the Clinical Trial Registry in India and the Clinical Trial Registry number- CTRI/2017/03/008139. URL http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/regtrial.php?modid=1&compid=19&EncHid=70845.17209. Date of registration- 20/03/2017.

&lt;i&gt;Atmiyata&lt;/i&gt;, A Community Led Psychosocial Intervention in Reducing Symptoms Associated with Common Mental Disorders: A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural Gujarat, India

Background: While lay-health worker models for mental health care have shown to be effective in controlled trials, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of these models implemented at scale in rural communities in LMICs. To narrow this evidence gap, we evaluated the impact of Atmiyata, a community-led intervention involving trained community volunteers delivering 4-6 sessions of psychosocial counselling for treating common mental disorders at scale. Methods: Stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial implemented across 645 villages in Mehsana district, Gujarat, India, from April 2017 to August 2019. The primary outcome was improvement on the GHQ-12 at 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were improvement in (a) depression and anxiety symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire, (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) & Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20)); b) quality of life (EQ- 5D); c) disability (Disability Assessment Scale (WHO-DAS-12)), and social participation (Social Participation Scale SPS). Intention-to-treat outcomes were analyzed using generalized linear mixed effects models. Findings: A total of 1191 trial participants (608 & 583 in intervention & control arms respectively), 1014 (85%) completed 3-month follow-up. After adjusting for baseline covariates, secular trends and cluster effects, participants in the intervention condition showed significant recovery of symptoms from CMD (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 4.6; p<0.05) at the end of 3 months, with effects sustained at 8-month follow-up (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6 to 5.9). Intervention participants had improved scores on the PHQ-9 (AMD -2.2; 95%CI -3.2 to -1.2), GAD-7 (AMD -1.4; 95%CI -2.3 to -0.5) and SRQ-20 (AMD -1.5; 95%CI -2.4 to -0.5), EQ- 5D (AMD of 0.05 95%CI: 0.02 to 0.08) at 3 months. At 8 months, intervention participants had significant improvement on all secondary outcomes. Interpretation: Atmiyata had significant effect in recovery from CMD with sustained long-term effects when implemented at scale in routine settings. Trial Registration: The trial was registered prospectively with Clinical Trial Registry, India (No: CTRI/2017/03/008139). Funding Statement: Supported by a Transition-to-Scale grant by Grand Challenges Canada (Grant no- 0792-05) and Mariwala Health Initiative. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no completing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Permission was obtained from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat for project implementation and data collection. Ethics approval was obtained from ILS Ethics Committee (ILS/14/2017) and additional ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee of Hospital for Mental Health, Ahmedabad, India (a Government of Gujarat public mental health institution). Informed consent was obtained from all trial participants.

Caregiving of offspring with intellectual developmental disabilities in Israeli Jewish and Arab households: Financial and psychosocial differences

BackgroundThis research responds to the lack of evidence-based knowledge regarding the psychosocial and financial gaps among caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities living in Jewish and Arab households. It examines the financial gaps and explores whether caregivers’ social economic status and households’ affiliation (Jewish vs. Arab) can explain the psychosocial variables such as levels of stress, social participation types and rates, and use of public services. MethodOne hundred and twenty-five Jewish and Arab caregivers completed an income and expenditure survey, including out-of-pocket expenditures, a services use survey, a questionnaire regarding resources and stress levels, and a social participation scale. ResultsArab households are more likely to have a low socioeconomic status (SES) than Jewish ones, characterized by lower per capita income, less spending, fewer out-of-pocket expenditures, and less ability to deal with an unexpected expense. In respect to psychosocial measures, Arab caregivers report lower use of public services than Jewish caregivers and lean more toward contact with relatives and religious participation than do Jewish caregivers. Caregivers’ social economic status and households’ affiliation do not have any interaction effect on psychosocial variables. ConclusionsFindings are discussed regarding research and practice.

Influence of Lifestyle Redesign® on Health, Social Participation, Leisure, and Mobility of Older French-Canadians.

Developed in California to enable community-dwelling older adults to maintain healthy and meaningful activities, Lifestyle Redesign® is a well-known cost-effective preventive occupational therapy intervention. The impact of a newly adapted French version on older French-Canadians was, however, unknown. To explore the influence of Lifestyle Redesign on older French-Canadians' health, social participation, leisure, and mobility. A mixed-methods design included a preexperimental component (questionnaires administered before and after the intervention and 3 and 6 mo postintervention) and an exploratory descriptive qualitative clinical study. Individual semidirected interviews were digitally audiotaped and transcribed, then underwent thematic content analysis using mix extraction grids. Community. Sixteen volunteers (10 women) aged 65-90 yr (mean = 76.4, standard deviation = 7.6), 10 without and 6 with disabilities. Inclusion criteria were age ≥65 yr, normal cognitive functions, residence in a conventional or senior home, and French speaking. French-Canadian 6-mo version of Lifestyle Redesign. Health, social participation, leisure, and mobility were measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, Social Participation Scale, Leisure Profile, and Life-Space Assessment, as well as a semistructured interview guide. The French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign had a beneficial effect on participants' mental health (p = .02) and interest in leisure (p = .02) and, in those with disabilities, social participation (p = .03) and attitudes toward leisure (p = .04). Participants reported positive effects on their mental health, leisure, mobility, and social participation, including frequency and quality of social interactions, and indicated that having an occupational routine fostered better health. None of the participants reported no effect. The translated and culturally adapted Lifestyle Redesign is a promising occupational therapy intervention for community-dwelling older French-Canadians. This study sheds light on the influence of the French-Canadian version of the intervention not only on older adults' health and social participation but also on their leisure activities and life-space mobility, two important outcomes not addressed in previous Lifestyle Redesign studies. Moreover, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the Lifestyle Redesign experience of French-Canadian older adults with and without disabilities, including participants with significant communication and mobility disabilities.

Testimonial Therapy: Impact on social participation and emotional wellbeing among Indian survivors of torture and organized violence

Traumatizing events, such as torture, cause considerable impairments in psycho-social functioning. In developing countries, where torture is often perpetrated, few resources exist for the provision of therapeutic or rehabilitating interventions. The current study investigated the effectiveness of Testimonial Therapy (TT) as a brief psycho-social intervention to ameliorate the distress of Indian survivors of torture and related violence. Three outcome measures (the WHO-5 Well-Being Scale, Social Participation-Scale and Pain and Anger Analogue) were compared before and after receiving TT, and semi structured interviews were conducted with survivors who had previously received TT. Participants showed significant improvements in emotional well-being, social participation, and self-perceived pain and anger. Furthermore, three qualitative interviews with survivors indicated that TT had a positive impact at the community level. Although the study was conducted without a control group for comparison, TT appeared to be an effective method for improving well-being and ameliorating distress among survivors of torture. Furthermore, TT can potentially promote community empowerment. However, more research on this aspect is needed.

HUBUNGAN SIKAP TERHADAP MEDIA SOSIAL DENGAN PARTISIPASI SOSIAL IBU-IBU YASINAN DESA NGEMBUL, KABUPATEN BLITAR

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between attitudes toward social media with social participation in Yasinan ladies Ngembul Village, Blitar District. The population in this study amounted to 140 mothers of Yasinan members. The sample of this research is 75 people from Dusun Ngembul and Sumberpandan obtained with incidental sampling. The measuring tool used is the scale of attitude toward social media (α = 0,785) and social participation scale (α = 0,876). Simple regression test showed a positive and significant relationship between attitude toward social media with social participation (rxy = 0,476; p &lt;0,001). The more positive attitudes toward social media then the higher the social participation, and vice versa. Attitudes towards social media affecting 22.6% in social segregation and the rest of 77.4% influenced by other factors not disclosed in this study.

Effect of personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) on older adults’ health and social participation: study protocol for a pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT)

IntroductionThe challenges of global ageing and the growing burden of chronic diseases require innovative interventions acting on health determinants like social participation. Many older adults do not have equitable opportunities...

Construction and validation of the customer social participation in brand communities scale

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to construct and validate customer social participation (CSP) scale in the context of brand communities on social media.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, various tests for reliability and validity have been performed to confirm scale structure. Data were collected using survey method from the student and non-student sample.FindingsThe results confirm a multi-dimensional scale with nine items for measuring customer participation in social media brand communities.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study present several implications for online brand communities managers and are likely to support future research in the context of social media brand communities.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to develop a multi-dimensional scale of customer participation in social media brand communities. This is a new addition to existing literature, as the majority of empirical studies in this field are from participation other than CSP, and contexts different from social media brand communities.

Measuring customer social participation in online travel communities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale to measure customer social participation in brand communities, specifically e-travel companies’ communities.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research has been undertaken to generate a pool of items. Based on Churchill’s (1979) scale development process, numerous reliability and validity tests have been conducted to confirm the scale structure. Data were collected through online and field surveys from the students and hotel guests who have either subscribed, liked or joined any e-travel service companies’ community brand page using any social networking site or have ever posted or considered reviews and ratings of any e-travel service companies via their official site or via a mobile app while planning their travel.FindingsThe findings depict nine items on a three-dimensional scale for measuring customer participation in travel brand communities created on social networking sites.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings provide important implications for hotel and travel managers and are likely to encourage future studies in the field of social media and travel brand communities.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by providing refinement to the distinct operationalization and conceptualization of customer online participation, specifically in social media-based travel brand communities. This paper is the first to develop a multidimensional scale of customer social participation in e-travel companies’ communities. This is a new addition to existing literature, as the majority of empirical studies in this field are from participation other than customer social participation and contexts different from e-travel companies.