Normative data and longitudinal invariance of the Life Engagement Test (LET) in a community sample of older adults

Purpose: Interest in evaluating purpose in life as an important component of ageing well is growing; however, investigation into the appropriate measurement of this construct is required. The purpose of this paper was to examine the measurement properties of the Life Engagement Test (LET) and to provide normative data for a non-clinical sample of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A random sample of 545 adults, aged 55-94 years, completed the LET twice over a 12-month period as part of a larger survey on relocation in later life. Results: Consistent with previous research, participants typically reported high levels of purpose in life. Scores were also observed to vary over the 12-month duration, with, on average, an increase in purpose in life at Time 2. However, tests of longitudinal invariance were inconclusive. Conclusions: Future research is needed to further examine the content validity of the LET, and its factorial invariance over longer measurement intervals, and across different populations including non-residential/aged care settings.