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Measuring family caregiver efficacy for managing behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia: a psychometric evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2013

Nadia Crellin ,
Georgina Charlesworth  and
Martin Orrell
Nadia Crellin*
Affiliation:
Mental Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, W1W 7EJ, UK Research and Development Department, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Essex IG3 8XJ, UK
Georgina Charlesworth
Affiliation:
Research and Development Department, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Essex IG3 8XJ, UK Research Department of Clinical, Health and Educational Psychology, University College London, UK
Martin Orrell
Affiliation:
Mental Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, W1W 7EJ, UK Research and Development Department, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Essex IG3 8XJ, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Nadia Crellin, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London W1W 7EJ, UK. Phone: +44 (0)7732292471. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background:

Caregiver efficacy for managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is an important determinant of family caregiver stress and burden. This study aims to develop a measure of caregiver efficacy for responding to BPSD and to evaluate its psychometric properties.

Methods:

The Caregiver Efficacy Scale adds an item for caregiver confidence in managing BPSD to each domain of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The validity, internal consistency, and factor structure of the scale were evaluated in 245 family caregivers.

Results:

The results provide adequate support for the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Efficacy Scale. The internal consistency was found to be adequate (Cronbach's α = 0.79) and the scale demonstrated good concurrent, construct, and criterion validity. As expected, performance on the Caregiver Efficacy Scale was associated with all dimensions of the NPI, including BPSD frequency (r = 0.869, p < 0.01) and severity (r = 0.883, p < 0.01), and negative outcomes, including negative affect (r = 0.411, p < 0.01), depression (r = 0.362, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.376, p < 0.01), and distress (r = 0.865, p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

The Caregiver Efficacy Scale might have clinical implications in facilitating the development of improved caregiver interventions for dealing with BPSD, allowing interventions to be tailored according to individual caregiver needs, and also in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving caregiver self-efficacy for managing BPSD.

Keywords

self-efficacycaregivingbehavioral and psychological symptomsdementiapsychometrics
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , January 2014 , pp. 93 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013 

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