P110: Development and validation of the Relationship Quality Scales in Caregiving (RQSC): preliminary results.

Abstract

Objective:

Caring for a person with dementia is a chronic stress situation. The quality of the relationship between the family caregiver and the persona with dementia (PWD) is a relevant variable to understanding caregivers ́ well-being. However, there are no specific scales that measure this variable in this context. This study aims to analyze the preliminary psychometric properties of the Relationship Quality Scales in Caregiving” (RQSC) ” which measures caregivers ́ perception of different aspects of the relationship in the dyad before the onset of dementia and the present moment.

Methods:

The sample was composed of 55 family caregivers of people with dementia. The Relationship Quality Scales in Caregiving (RQSC) include two subscales assessing the quality of the relationship, respectively, before the dementia onset (Past Relationship; PR) and in the present moment (Current Relationship; CR), and it also provides an index of the perception of change (Change score) in the relationship quality, namely: Actual Quality minus Past Quality. Internal consistency and factor validity (through exploratory factor analysis and parallel analysis) were explored. Construct validity of the instrument was also explored, analyzing its correlation with caregivers’ reactivity to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), caregivers’ ambivalent feelings towards the care recipient, and caregivers’ depressive symptoms.

Results:

The results from the EFA and parallel analyses suggest that both RQSC subscales have a unidimensional structure. Both the PR subscale and the CR subscale show good to excellent reliability and validity indexes. Significant negative correlations between both PR and CR subscales and reactivity to BPSD, ambivalent feelings, and depression have been found

Conclusion:

The instrument seems to show good psychometric properties that recommend its use. The results support the relevance of caregivers ́ perception of their relationship with the PWD for understanding caregivers’ wellbeing. However, these are preliminary results that should be replicated in future studies using a bigger sample and additional psychometric data.