Elder abuse is recognized as an under-detected and under-reported social problem. Difficulties in detecting elder abuse are compounded by the lack of a standardized, psychometrically valid instrument for case finding. The development of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST) followed a larger effort to identify indicators and actual symptoms of elder abuse using a pool of over 1,000 items selected from various elder abuse protocols which were currently being used throughout the United States and Canada. This study examined the construct validity of the 15-item H-S/East. Results of the analyses indicated that 9 of the 15 items of the H-S/EAST significantly discriminated between three groups: (1) elders whose reported abuse was substantiated by Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworkers; (2) elders whose reported abuse was not substantiated by APS workers; and (3) a community-based comparison group. The data suggest that this short, easily administered screening device can be useful to service providers interested in identifying people at high risk of the need for protective services. The H-S/EAST should not be used to predict specific types of abuse or neglect, or to make the final decision about the substantiation of abuse or neglect in any particular case. A positive indication suggests the need for further examination rather than the actual presence of the condition. (Author/LLL)