Affiliation:
1. Department of Social Science, Center for Gerontology and Social Science Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Obu Japan
2. Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care University College London London UK
3. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Chiyoda Japan
4. Center for Outcomes Research and Economic Evaluation for Health National Institute of Public Health Wako Japan
5. Department of Palliative Nursing, Health Sciences Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Sendai Japan
Abstract
AimTo support informal caregivers, a simple assessment tool capturing the multidimensional nature of caregiving experiences, including negative and positive aspects, is required. We developed a short form of the Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA‐J), a multidimensional assessment scale for caregiver experiences.MethodsThe internet survey involved 934 Japanese informal caregivers aged 20–79 years (mean age = 58.8 years; 50.2% women) who completed questionnaires, including the CRA‐J 18 items (CRA‐J‐18), consisting of five domains, such as impacts on schedule and finances and positive experiences of caregiving. A 10‐item short version of the CRA‐J (CRA‐J‐10; 0–50 points), which was prepared by selecting the two items with the highest factor loadings from each domain, was tested for model fit by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and was analyzed for correlations with the CRA‐J‐18, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale (PACS), Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9), and WHO‐Five Well‐Being Index (WHO‐5). The area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operating characteristic was evaluated as discriminability for depressive symptoms (PHQ‐9 ≥ 10 points).ResultsThe CFA indicated a good model fit in the CRA‐J‐10. The CRA‐J‐10 correlated well with the CRA‐J‐18 and other variables (CRA‐J‐18, r = 0.970; ZBI, r = 0.747; PACS, r = −0.467; PHQ‐9, r = 0.582; WHO‐5, r = −0.588) and showed good discriminant performance for the presence of depressive symptoms (AUC = 0.793, 95% confidence interval = 0.762–0.823).ConclusionsThe CRA‐J‐10 allows a simple assessment of caregiver experiences, helping support informal caregivers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 290–296.
Funder
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
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