Abstract
Background
To support informal caregivers of people with dementia, it is crucial to identify sources of stress and burden, recognize early warning signs for timely intervention, and actively promote resilience. The Resilience and Strain Questionnaire in Caregivers of People with Dementia (ResQ-Care-Dem) has been developed to identify particularly vulnerable caregivers as early as possible and to derive specific recommendations for action. This article examines its reliability and construct validity.
Methods
The ResQ-Care-Dem was completed online by n = 243 informal caregivers of people with dementia. The reliability of the two resilience and two burden scales was assessed using Cronbach's alpha as a measure of internal consistency. The factorial structure was examined using a principal axis factor analysis. The convergent validity of the burden scales was assessed by correlations with the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-7). The convergent validity of the resilience scales was assessed using the Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale (CES-8), the Gain in Alzheimer Care Instrument (GAIN), and the Quality of the Carer-Patient Relationship (QCPR) Questionnaire.
Results
The scales’ internal consistencies ranged between .65 and .81. The factorial structure could largely be confirmed, with the items of the four scales primarily loading on four factors. The burden scales demonstrated the expected high correlations with the ZBI-7 (.51 – .55). As expected, the resilience scales showed moderate to strong correlations with the CES-8 (.50 – .57), the GAIN (.27 – .50), and the QCPR (.28 – .59).
Conclusions
Overall, this study provided evidence supporting the reliability and construct validity of the ResQ-Care-Dem. In particular, the high correlations with other measures of the caregiver's situation suggest that the questionnaire is a concise yet comprehensive instrument for measuring stress and burden, as well as resilience factors in informal dementia caregivers simultaneously.