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Instrument Summary for Caregiver Burden

Please note that this section is an archive and is no longer being updated.



1. Zarit Burden Interview (BI)

Development: The Burden Interview (BI) was developed by Zarit and colleagues to measure subjective burden among caregivers of adults with dementia. However, it was subsequently adopted for use among other groups of caregivers as well. Items were generated "based on clinical experience with caregivers and prior studies." Formal psychometric analysis of the BI was not reported until after its initial release. Originally published in 1980 as a 29-item scale, the BI was later revised and the resulting 22-item scale is most commonly used today.

Purpose: The BI measures subjective distress and perceptions of social, physical, financial, and emotional burden among caregivers.

Useful Facts: The BI is often cited as the most frequently used measure of caregiver burden. Items are rated on 5-point scale and are typically administered in self-report questionnaire format. Several abbreviated versions of the BI have been reported in the literature. Translations of the BI are available in French, Japanese and Spanish.

VA Relevance: The BI has been used among caregivers of veterans.

Availability: The BI questions are found in the article by Zarit et al. (1980).

References:

  1. Zarit SH, Reever KE, Bach-Peterson J. Relatives of the impaired elderly: correlated of feelings of burden. Gerontologist 1980;20:649-655. [Abstract ]
  2. Zarit SH, Orr NK, Zarit JM. The hidden victims of Alzheimer's disease: families under stress. New York: New York University Press; 1985.
  3. Bédard M, Molloy DW, Squire L, Dubois S, Lever JA, O'Donnell M. The Zarit Burden Interview: a new short version and screening version. Gerontologist 2001;41:652-657. [Abstract ]
  4. Visser-Meily JMA, Post MWM, Riphagen II, Lindeman E. Measures used to assess burden among caregivers of stroke patients: a review. Clin Rehabil 2004;18:601-623. [Abstract ]




2. Caregiver Strain Index (CSI)

Development: The Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) was developed by Robinson in 1983 as a screening instrument to identify adjustment problems among individuals caring for elderly persons recently discharged from acute hospitalization. Items were generated by reviewing interviews of 49 adult children caregivers to identify the most common stressors involved in caring for an elderly parent. The scale consists of 13 items that reflect perceptions of caregiving, care recipient characteristics, and the caregiver's emotional status. A later exploratory analysis supported a similar 3-factor model of caregiver strain.2

Purpose: The CSI is a brief measure of strain among informal caregivers of recently discharged medical patients.

Useful Facts: The CSI is a self-administered questionnaire. Thornton and Travis3 modified the CSI to improve performance among long-term caregivers; changes included item rewording and expansion of item choices from a dichotomous (yes/no) scale to a 3-point scale.

VA Relevance: The CSI has been used among caregivers of veterans.

Availability: The instrument is available in the article by B. C. Robinson (1983) and online from the Harford Institute for Geriatric Nursing. [PDF]

References:

  1. Robinson BC. Validation of a caregiver strain index. J Gerontol 1983;38:344-348. [Abstract ]
  2. Rubio DM, Berg-Weger M, Tebb SS. Assessing the validity and reliability of well-being and stress in family caregivers. Soc Work Res 1999;23:54-64.
  3. Thornton M, Travis SS. Analysis of the reliability of the Modified Caregiver Strain Index. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2003;58:S127-S132. [Abstract ]


[created 20 Dec 2005]