Reasons to learn in older age: Factorial structure of Educational Participation Scale (EPS A-form)

Abstract

University Programs for Older People (UPO) are a valuable resource to promote lifelong learning and thus respond to the main sociopolitical recommendations for promoting active ageing. One of the key dimensions for the study of these programs is the type of motivations for the older people to be involved in them, a topic widely evaluated at international level using EPS A-form. In this paper the factor structure of the Spanish version of this scale is examined, using statistical procedures consistent with current guidelines for this type of analysis, in a sample of students from the Aula de la Experiencia, the UPO of the University of Huelva (Spain). Results obtained show that the Spanish version of EPS A-form has a structure in four subscales similar to the original, with internal consistency indices between .83 and .96. The most outstanding motivations were the cognitive ones, although more than a half of the students participated in the program for more than one reason. This scale is an effective tool to research motivations for studying in old age, and can be useful both in research and in the design of University Programs for Older People in Spain.