Psychometric evaluation of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale in caregivers of adults with heart failure.

Well-prepared informal caregivers play an important role in heart failure (HF) care, so an instrument to evaluate their preparedness to care is important. To date, HF caregiver preparedness has been rarely investigated quantitatively. The Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS) has been used in other chronic condition populations, but its psychometric characteristics have never been tested in HF caregivers. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the 8-item CPS in HF caregivers. In a convenience sample of 317 HF caregivers (72.4% female, mean age 54), we tested the CPS' factorial structure with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and its concurrent validity with the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of HF Index (CC-SCHFI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We also tested CPS' reliability with composite reliability indicators, Cronbach's alpha, factor score determinacy coefficient, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The CFA for a one-factor model resulted in supportive fit indices (e.g., comparative fit index .97). Significant correlations (p < .05) of the CPS with both the CC-SCHFI and the HADS supported concurrent validity. The composite reliability index, Cronbach's alpha, factor score determinacy coefficient, and ICC were .89, .91, .96, .91, respectively, supporting reliability. Our study provides evidence that the CPS is a valid and reliable instrument to measure HF caregiver preparedness, enabling clinicians, and researchers to target specific interventions to HF caregivers.

Petruzzo A ，Paturzo M ，Buck HG ，Barbaranelli C ，D'Agostino F ，Ausili D ，Alvaro R ，Vellone E ... -  《-》

Validity and reliability of the caregiver contribution to self-care of heart failure index.

Vellone E ，Riegel B ，Cocchieri A ，Barbaranelli C ，D'Agostino F ，Glaser D ，Rocco G ，Alvaro R ... -  《-》

Validity and Reliability of the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 2.

Vellone E ，Barbaranelli C ，Pucciarelli G ，Zeffiro V ，Alvaro R ，Riegel B ... -  《-》

Psychometric properties of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale in caregivers of stroke survivors.

To evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS) in caregivers of stroke survivors. Caregiver preparedness can have an important impact on both the caregiver and the stroke survivor. The validity and reliability of the CPS has not been tested for the stroke-caregiver population. We used a cross-sectional design to study a sample of 156 caregivers of stroke survivors. Construct validity of the CPS was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were also evaluated. Caregivers were, on average, 54 year old (SD = 13.2) and most were women (64.7%). CFA supported the unidimensionality of the scale (comparative fit index = 0.98). Reliability was also supported: item-reliability index and item-total correlations above 0.30; composite reliability index = 0.93; Cronbach's alpha = 0.94; factor score determinacy = 0.97; and test-retest reliability = 0.92. The CPS is valid and reliable in caregivers of stroke survivors. Scores on this scale may assist health-care providers in identifying caregivers with less preparedness to provide specific interventions.

Pucciarelli G ，Savini S ，Byun E ，Simeone S ，Barbaranelli C ，Vela RJ ，Alvaro R ，Vellone E ... -  《-》

Influence of preparedness on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in caregivers of heart failure patients: Testing a model of path analysis.

Testing the influence of heart failure (HF) caregiver preparedness on anxiety and depression, and the influence of HF caregiver anxiety and depression on caregiver physical and mental QOL. In this cross-sectional study, we used the Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) with the anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) subscales, and the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) measuring the physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS) of QOL. Socio-demographic data and patients' clinic data were also collected. Data analysis was conducted with descriptive statistics, correlations, and path analysis. A total of 366 HF caregiver and patient dyads were enrolled. Caregivers were mostly females (73.3%) with a mean age of 58.61 (SD = 15.66) years. The tested model showed excellent fit indices with the following significant paths: CPS scores predicted HADS-D scores; HADS-A scores predicted MCS scores; and HADS-D scores predicted both PCS and MCS scores. Also, HADS-D mediated the relationship between CPS and MCS scores. Preparedness influences HF caregiver depression and depression influences caregiver physical and mental QOL. Depression mediates between preparedness and HF caregiver mental QOL. Interventions focused on improving HF caregiver preparedness may improve caregivers' depression and QOL.

Petruzzo A ，Biagioli V ，Durante A ，Emberti Gialloreti L ，D'Agostino F ，Alvaro R ，Vellone E ... -  《-》