Psychometric evaluation of the shorter version of expectation regarding aging instrument (ERA-12-Persian) among older adults in Iran

Background: Aging perceptions and expectations influence health behaviors and outcomes in older adults. The Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-12) instrument has been validated in Western populations, but limited studies have examined its psychometric properties in Asian contexts. As Iran faces rapid demographic aging, there is a need for culturally appropriate tools to assess aging expectations. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the ERA-12 among older adults in Iran. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to collect data of 302 older adults in Iran. Psychometric properties of the ERA-12 were evaluated. Validity and reliability tests using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. Cronbach’s alpha (α), and McDonald’s Omega (Ω) Coefficient as measures of internal consistency was used to evaluate the reliability of the Persian version of ERA-12. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the three-factor structure of the ERA-12-Persian scale, explaining 71.99% of the total variance. Model fit indices indicated a good fit (CFI = 0.930, RMSEA = 0.096, SRMR = 0.032). Internal consistency was strong, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.728 to 0.865. Additionally, convergent and discriminant validity were established, supporting the scale’s construct validity. Conclusions: The validated ERA-12-Persian scale provides healthcare providers in Iran with a reliable tool to assess aging expectations across physical, mental, and cognitive domains. This instrument enables both the development of culturally-appropriate interventions and comparative studies of aging perceptions between Iranian older adults and other populations.