Abstract
Background: Family caregivers complete caregiving tasks but may not explore their own feelings about their caregiving experience.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to develop an experience-based caregiving burden scale for caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and to estimate its predictive value for depression.
Methods: The instrument was first systematically constructed on the basis of data obtained from detailed interviews of 12 caregivers. Then, 134 caregivers completed the questionnaire as a field test to estimate the psychometric properties of the developed tool.
Results: We achieved a 13-item Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) with 3 dimensions: health impact, role competence, and resource and growth. The construct validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability of the CBS were satisfactory. A CBS score higher than 25.5, or health impact subscale score higher than 10.5, or role performance score higher than 7.5 indicated significant depression and the need for assistance from healthcare providers.
Conclusion: The CBS has adequate reliability and validity to assess the burden experienced by caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. It was also predictive for significant depression.
Implication for Practice: Nurses may use the CBS to provide timely assistance to family caregivers during their caregiving for a patient with advanced-stage cancer.