Measuring family caregiver efficacy for managing behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia: a psychometric evaluation

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Crellin ◽  
Georgina Charlesworth ◽  
Martin Orrell

ABSTRACTBackground:Caregiver efficacy for managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is an important determinant of family caregiver stress and burden. This study aims to develop a measure of caregiver efficacy for responding to BPSD and to evaluate its psychometric properties.Methods:The Caregiver Efficacy Scale adds an item for caregiver confidence in managing BPSD to each domain of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The validity, internal consistency, and factor structure of the scale were evaluated in 245 family caregivers.Results:The results provide adequate support for the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Efficacy Scale. The internal consistency was found to be adequate (Cronbach's α = 0.79) and the scale demonstrated good concurrent, construct, and criterion validity. As expected, performance on the Caregiver Efficacy Scale was associated with all dimensions of the NPI, including BPSD frequency (r = 0.869, p < 0.01) and severity (r = 0.883, p < 0.01), and negative outcomes, including negative affect (r = 0.411, p < 0.01), depression (r = 0.362, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.376, p < 0.01), and distress (r = 0.865, p < 0.01).Conclusions:The Caregiver Efficacy Scale might have clinical implications in facilitating the development of improved caregiver interventions for dealing with BPSD, allowing interventions to be tailored according to individual caregiver needs, and also in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving caregiver self-efficacy for managing BPSD.

Author(s):  
Taiga Fuju ◽  
Tetsuya Yamagami ◽  
Mio Ito ◽  
Noriko Naito ◽  
Haruyasu Yamaguchi

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Most behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) scales have copyright issues and are difficult for care staff to use in daily care settings because they were primarily designed for physicians. Therefore, an easier tool for care staff is required. This study aimed to develop and validate the BPSD questionnaire 13-item version (BPSD13Q). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We obtained data from 444 people with dementia living in group homes in Japan using the BPSD plus questionnaire (BPSD + Q; 27-item version) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home version (NPI-NH). We selected appropriate items to make a short-form version of the BPSD + Q and examined the construct validity, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity of the questionnaire. <b><i>Results:</i></b> By the pilot review, research on correlations with similar items from comparable scales, and factor analysis, we reduced 27 items to 13 items (BPSD13Q). The BPSD13Q and BPSD13Q-distress (BPSD13Q-D) showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.76 and 0.80, respectively). Moreover, the BPSD13Q was positively correlated with the NPI-NH (<i>r</i> = 0.72, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and BPSD + Q (<i>r</i> = 0.95, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The BPSD13Q-D was positively correlated with the NPI-NH-caregiver distress (<i>r</i> = 0.74, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and BPSD + Q-distress (<i>r</i> = 0.96, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> We developed and validated the BPSD13Q, which is a short-form version of the BPSD + Q and is downloadable. The BPSD13Q may make BPSD evaluations easier for the care staff.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 825-833
Author(s):  
Arianna Manini ◽  
Michela Brambilla ◽  
Laura Maggiore ◽  
Simone Pomati ◽  
Leonardo Pantoni

Abstract Background During Covid-19 pandemic, the Italian government adopted restrictive limitations and declared a national lockdown on March 9, which lasted until May 4 and produced dramatic consequences on people’s lives. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of prolonged lockdown on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Methods Between April 30 and June 8, 2020, we interviewed with a telephone-based questionnaire the caregivers of the community-dwelling patients with dementia who had their follow-up visit scheduled from March 9 to May 15 and canceled due to lockdown. Among the information collected, patients’ BPSDs were assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Non-parametric tests to compare differences between NPI scores over time and logistic regression models to explore the impact of different factors on BPSD worsening were performed. Results A total of 109 visits were canceled and 94/109 caregivers completed the interview. Apathy, irritability, agitation and aggression, and depression were the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms experienced by patients both at baseline and during Covid-19 pandemic. Changes in total NPI and caregiver distress scores between baseline and during lockdown, although statistically significant, were overall modest. The logistic regression model failed to determine predictors of BPSD worsening during lockdown. Conclusion This is one of the first studies to investigate the presence of BPSD during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and related nationwide lockdown, showing only slight, likely not clinically relevant, differences in BPSD burden, concerning mostly agitation and aggression, anxiety, apathy and indifference, and irritability.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Mirzaei-Alavijeh ◽  
Farzad Jalilian ◽  
Halimeh Fatahi ◽  
Laleh Solaimanizadeh ◽  
Abdollah Saadatfar ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Developing a valid and reliable questionnaire is an important step in field studies. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric propertiesof the socio-cognitive determinants of water intake questionnaire behaviors among patients with kidney stones in the west of Iran.Methods Construct items were elicited from interviews with kidney stones patients, experts and socio-cognitive items pool-related similar questionnaires. Internal consistency, face, content, and construct validity were evaluated. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 20.0).Results Based on Eigenvalues of ≥ 1.00 and factor loadings of ≥ 0.40, five determinants were extracted. The calculated Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) value was 0.697. The socio-cognitive determinants of water intake questionnaires were found to have acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach alpha of determinants between 0.65-0.85) and the theoretical assumptions for face, content, and construct validities were confirmed. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of socio-cognitive determinants was high (ICC between 0.810 - 0.911). Overall, the five studied socio-cognitive determinants explained 73.83% of the variance in the proposed model.Conclusions The socio-cognitive determinants of water intake questionnaire were revealed to have an acceptable psychometric evaluation. The questionnaire could be used to predict or explain water intake behavior in order to develop programs to increase water intake behavior among kidney stones patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Morganti ◽  
Alex Soli ◽  
Paola Savoldelli ◽  
Gloria Belotti

Background: In health-care settings, the use of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home (NPI-NH) may not always be consistent with the authors’ guidelines, which affects its reliability. To avoid this bias, a diary version of the NPI (NPI-Diary) was developed. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties (internal consistency and reliability) of the NPI-Diary, and examined its convergence with the NPI-NH. Methods: Two raters administered the NPI-NH and NPI-Diary to 40 participants with Alzheimer’s disease, selected randomly from a hospital’s weekly turnover. Results: The NPI-Diary exhibited adequate internal consistency (total: α = 0.581) and test-retest reliability (total: ρ = 0.711; p < 0.01). The interrater reliability values (ICC) for the NPI-NH and NPI-Diary differed significantly (Total: NPI-NH ICC = 0.506, NPI-Diary ICC = 0.879; Frequency: NPI-NH ICC = 0.51, NPI-Diary ICC = 0.798; Severity: NPI-NH ICC = 0.491, NPI-Diary ICC = 0.809). The convergent validity between the two inventories was also significant (total: ρ = 0.48; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The NPI-Diary showed more appropriate validity and reliability compared to the NPI-NH, when administered in a highly variable sample, as is generally the case in the current health-care setting.


2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Kazem Malakouti ◽  
Lili Panaghi ◽  
Mahshid Foroughan ◽  
Masoumeh Salehi ◽  
Taher Zandi

ABSTRACTBackground: This study aimed to validate the Farsi version of Neuropsychiatric Inventory (F-NPI), with the aim of promoting clinical assessment and local research on evaluation of neuropsychiatric symptom profiles of individuals with dementia in Iran.Methods: In this cross-sectional, psychometric study, 100 patients with dementia in the age range of 60–90 years participated. Two trained psychiatrists interviewed the study subjects. Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were used to determine the concurrent validity. Test-retest, inter-rater reliability and internal consistency were calculated. Discrimination validity was determined, using a matched control group consisting of 49 participants without dementia. Cronbach's α and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data.Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.9) was excellent. The inter-rater reliability varied between 0.6 and 0.98 for frequency, severity and total scale of the F-NPI, and test-retest reliability was between 0.4 and 0.96. Concurrent validity varied between 0.3 and 0.9 (P < 0.05). The most prevalent symptom was “apathy” and the least prevalent was “euphoria”.Conclusion: The Farsi version of NPI has satisfactory psychometric indexes and is applicable for clinical and study works in Iranian community.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Cotta Ramusino ◽  
Giulia Perini ◽  
Gloria Vaghi ◽  
Beatrice Dal Fabbro ◽  
Marco Capelli ◽  
...  

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a distressful condition. We aimed to investigate the BPSD distribution in subjects with cognitive impairment, and the potential correlations between BPSD and neurodegeneration in terms of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and brain atrophy.Methods: One-hundred patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia (Alzheimer’s disease, AD; Lewy-body disease, LBD; frontotemporal dementia, FTD; vascular dementia, VD) underwent a complete diagnostic workup, including 3T-MRI and/or CT and CSF. Cortical atrophy was assessed with medial temporal atrophy (MTA), posterior atrophy (PA), and global cortical atrophy-frontal lobe (GCA-F) scales. BPSD were rated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and BPSD clusters were defined according to the European Alzheimer Disease Consortium.Results: Delusions, hallucinations, and psychosis cluster were differently distributed among the diagnostic groups (p &lt; 0.05, p &lt; 0.001, and p &lt; 0.05), with LBD patients showing higher scores for hallucinations (vs. MCI, p &lt; 0.001, and AD, p &lt; 0.05) and psychosis cluster (vs. MCI, p &lt; 0.05). In primary dementias, we found a negative correlation between NPI total score and tau levels (p = 0.08), confirmed by beta regression (p &lt; 0.01), while a positive non-significant relationship was observed in MCI. Higher GCA-F scores were associated with delusions and apathy (p &lt; 0.05, on both hemispheres) and hallucinations (left: p &lt; 0.01, right: p &lt; 0.05). GCA-F scores were positively correlated with psychosis cluster (right: p &lt; 0.05), and agitation/aggression (left: p &lt; 0.05). Conversely, nighttime disturbances were positively correlated with both GCA-F and MTA scores (left: p &lt; 0.01; right: p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: Our results suggest that psychotic symptoms are significantly more represented in LBD patients and that CSF tau and frontal atrophy are associated with the occurrence and severity of BPSD in clinical practice. Longitudinal studies are however required to ascertain their actual predictive value.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-49
Author(s):  
Laura T. Colman ◽  
Robyn K. Sobelson ◽  
Corinne J. Wigington ◽  
Andrea C. Young

There is currently a gap in the literature regarding the creation of psychometrically sound measurement tools assessing service-learning programs in health-related fields. Without comprehension of a survey's psychometric properties, evaluators cannot ensure that survey instruments are reliable or valid. This study describes the psychometric evaluation of the Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) Service-Learning Scale (PSLS). PSLS assesses participant experience in PHAP, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program. This paper explains survey development, scale validity and reliability, and the internal factor structure of the PSLS. The final scale consisted of 22 items with a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=.90). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to determine the scale’s factor structure; five factors comprising of all 22 items were retained. The factors, or subscales, were Learning Outcomes, Mentoring, Experiential Assignment, Self-Efficacy in Program Competency Domains, and Program Satisfaction. All were also found to have adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α .70). Service-learning is vital in developing the next generation of the workforce. These study findings suggest the PSLS fills a critical gap in the literature by providing a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate experiences and satisfaction in service-learning programs and other fellowships.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catia Scassellati ◽  
Miriam Ciani ◽  
Carlo Maj ◽  
Cristina Geroldi ◽  
Orazio Zanetti ◽  
...  

Background: The occurrence of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients hampers the clinical management and exacerbates the burden for caregivers. The definition of the clinical distribution of BPSD symptoms, and the extent to which symptoms are genetically determined, are still open to debate. Moreover, genetic factors that underline BPSD symptoms still need to be identified. Purpose. To characterize our Italian AD cohort according to specific BPSD symptoms as well as to endophenotypes. To evaluate the associations between the considered BPSD traits and COMT, MTHFR, and APOE genetic variants. Methods. AD patients (n = 362) underwent neuropsychological examination and genotyping. BPSD were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory scale. Results. APOE and MTHFR variants were significantly associated with specific single BPSD symptoms. Furthermore, “Psychosis” and “Hyperactivity” resulted in the most severe endophenotypes, with APOE and MTHFR implicated as both single risk factors and “genexgene” interactions. Conclusions. We strongly suggest the combined use of both BPSD single symptoms/endophenotypes and the “genexgene” interactions as valid strategies for expanding the knowledge about the BPSD aetiopathogenetic mechanisms.


Dementia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1751-1763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shogo Taniguchi ◽  
Teruyuki Matsuoka ◽  
Takeshi Hikawa ◽  
Atsushi Machihara ◽  
Keisuke Shibata ◽  
...  

In order to optimize the treatment in wards for patients with dementia, we investigated predictors of the length of stay in the ward for patients with dementia. A prospective analysis of 72 patients with dementia was conducted in two wards for patients with dementia. Severity of dementia was assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating, basic activities of daily living were evaluated using the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale, and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and caregiver distress were determined with the Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Stepwise regression analysis was used to identify predictors of the length of stay. Fewer patients were discharged to home compared to those discharged to institutions or transferred to a different hospital or ward. The mean length of stay was 92.0 days. Clinical Dementia Rating and total distress scale score on the Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory were significant independent predictors of the length of stay. The total Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory score and total distress scale score on the Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory were significantly improved through treatment. Our results suggest that treatment in the wards for patients with dementia is effective for improvement of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. However, some patients could not be discharged to their home despite improvement of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and this may be related to caregiver burden at admission.


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