Introduction
Ageism continues to influence societal attitudes, healthcare practices, and policy decisions. Therefore, researchers and clinicians require accurate measurement tools for empirical investigation. The Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), introduced by Maryann Fraboni, Robert Saltstone, and Susan Hughes in 1990, addresses this need by providing a multidimensional instrument focused on the affective components of ageism. Rather than emphasizing cognition alone, the FSA captures emotional and prejudicial responses toward older adults. Moreover, its three-factor structure—antilocution, discrimination, and avoidance— provides nuanced insights that support both basic research and applied interventions. Notably, With more than 750 citations, the FSA continues to play a central role in gerontology research worldwide.
Accordingly, This article presents a comprehensive overview of the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), including its structure, scoring, psychometric properties, applications, adaptations, and limitations for researchers and clinicians.
Key Features of the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA)
Purpose and Use
The primary purpose of the FSA is to measure ageist attitudes, including stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination toward older adults. By using the FSA, researchers and clinicians can identify negative attitudes that may influence care delivery or social policy. Specifically, the scale assesses the affective dimension of ageism, complementing instruments that focus on cognitive beliefs.
Target Population
The FSA applies to adults aged 18 years and older. It is specifically designed for various groups, including:
- Young adults (18-24 years).
- Middle-aged adults (25-44 years).
- Older adults (45-64 years).
Structure
The original version of the FSA consists of 29 items that capture different facets of ageism. These items load onto three main subscales:
- Antilocution (10 items): These items reflect negative stereotypes and verbal prejudice, covering personality traits such as being burdensome, cognitive rigidity, and perceived societal value.
- Discrimination (9 items): This section examines exclusionary behaviors and attitudes regarding civil rights, segregation, and doubts about the competency of seniors.
- Avoidance (10 items): These items measure social distancing and discomfort, including intentional avoidance of eye contact or resistance toward having older adults in influential roles.
Together, these domains provide a multidimensional profile of ageist attitudes.
Scoring Method
Participants rate each of the 29 items on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 4 (Strongly Agree). To maintain scoring accuracy, researchers reverse-score 15 items (items 1, 2, 11–18, and 21–25).
- Negative statements receive scores from 1 to 4
- Positive statements receive reverse scores from 4 to 1
After reversing the specified items, researchers sum all 29 items to reach a total score ranging from 29 to 116. Higher scores indicate stronger ageist attitudes, where 29 is the least ageist and 116 is the most ageist.
Notably, cut-off scores are not clearly defined in the original literature; scores are typically interpreted relative to sample averages.
Administration Format
The FSA is a self-administered tool that is straightforward and efficient to use, requiring no specialized training.
Healthcare teams and researchers can administer the questionnaire via:
- Paper-based formats.
- Digital (online) platforms.
- In-person interviews.
- Phone or video calls.
It typically takes 10 to 15 minutes for participants to complete, making it highly practical for large-scale research studies.
Applications of the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA)
The FSA has broad applications in both clinical and research domains:
- Screening: It serves as an effective screening tool to identify individuals experiencing significant levels of ageist bias, which may warrant further educational intervention or psychological evaluation in professional settings.
- Monitoring: Clinicians and educators can reliably track a participant’s progress or change in attitude over time, particularly during diversity and inclusion training or intergenerational interventions.
- Research Endpoint: The FSA functions as a valuable outcome measure in clinical trials and observational studies investigating the prevalence, risk factors, and intervention efficacy for ageism across diverse populations.
- Professional Development: Beyond direct clinical use, the scale is applicable in policy evaluation, staff training, curriculum development, and the assessment of public awareness campaigns.
Languages and availability
The FSA is available in multiple languages, including:
- English (original)
- Arabic
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Mandarin Chinese
- Hungarian
- Turkish
However, researchers should note that formal linguistic validation is not consistently documented for all versions, which may affect cross-study comparability.
Reliability and Validity
The FSA is recognized as a highly reliable and valid instrument for assessing psychological attitudes. Its psychometric soundness is supported by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86, indicating excellent internal consistency. Subsequent cross-cultural validations confirm its robustness in diverse samples.
For instance, recent studies report strong psychometric performance among long-term caregivers in nursing homes and Peruvian nursing students.
Limitations and Considerations
Despite its strengths, the FSA has a few limitations:
- Self-report: Respondents may be influenced by social desirability bias or personal interpretation.
- Narrow Focus: It focuses on attitudes (antilocution, discrimination, avoidance) but does not assess behavior, structural ageism, or internalized ageism.
- Length: The 29-item format may cause fatigue in some respondents.
- Social Desirability Bias: This occurs when participants provide answers they believe are socially acceptable rather than their true feelings. Because ageism is socially frowned upon, respondents may under-report negative attitudes to appear more tolerant
Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
While the original 29-item FSA remains the comprehensive standard, shorter or revised forms address participant burden and factor clarity:
- FSA – Short Form (FSA-SF): Reduced to 14–22 items in various adaptations.
- FSA – Chinese Version: 27 items.
- R-FSA (Revised FSA by Rupp et al., 2005): 21 items with improved factor structure and preferred in many contemporary studies for enhanced statistical properties.
Researchers should consistently apply the correct version’s scoring key to preserve validity.
Additionally, the FSA can be used alongside other scales, like
- Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KAOP)
- Relating to Older People Evaluation (ROPE)
- Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-12)
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who can use the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA)?
Researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers use the FSA for adults aged 18 and older to measure ageist attitudes.
2. How long does it take to complete the FSA?
Respondents typically finish the 29-item questionnaire in 10–15 minutes, making it practical for research and clinical settings.
3. How is the FSA administered?
The scale supports flexible delivery via paper-based forms, digital surveys, in-person interviews, or phone/video calls.
4. Is there any cost to using the FSA?
The FSA is free for non-commercial research and clinical purposes; no payment or licensing is required.
A Word From ResRef about the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA)
Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) remains a cornerstone in ageism research, and we support its responsible use through validated adaptations and expert guidance.
References
- Fraboni, M., Saltstone, R., & Hughes, S. (1990). The Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA): An attempt at a more precise measure of ageism. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 9(1), 56–66. Link
- Li, J., Dong, Z., Xie, W., et al. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Fraboni scale of ageism (FSA) applied to long-term caregivers in nursing homes. BMC Geriatrics, 24, 632. Link
- Fhon JRS, Bello-Vidal C, Villanueva-Benites M, et al. (2024). Cross-cultural and psychometric validation of the Fraboni scale of ageism in Peruvian nursing students. Nursing Practice Today, 11(4), 369–377. Link
- Fan, J.-Y., Zhao, H.-M., Liu, Y.-T., Kong, L.-L., Mao, J., & Li, J. (2020). Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Fraboni Scale of Ageism: Evidence from medical students sample. BMC Medical Education, 20, Article 197. Link
- Dhondt, S., & Degryse, J.-M. (2022). Développement d’une version française adaptée de l’Ambivalent Ageism Scale : une mesure de l’âgisme. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 42(1), 1–13. Link
- Hofmeister-Tóth, Á., Neulinger, Á., & Debreceni, J. (2021). Measuring discrimination against older people applying the Fraboni Scale of Ageism. Information, 12(11), 458. Link
- Kutlu, Y., Kucuk, L., & Findik, U. Y. (2012). Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Fraboni Scale of Ageism. Nursing & Health Sciences, 14(4), 464–471. Link
- Abdelkader, A. S., Elbayar, R., Ashour, A. A., Alwerdani, M. M., Elgabry, A., Hashish, S. A., & Ashour, A. (2025). Exploring ageism and ageing anxiety: A cross-sectional study in Egypt. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1–9. Link
- Benz, H., Scherer, H., Rodriguez, G., & Steele, J. (2022). Cross-cultural differences in age estimation and age bias. Innovation in Aging, 6(Supplement 1), 479. Link
