Skip to main content
Log in

Measurement Quality of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire-Short Form 7 (CGSQ-SF7)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the measurement quality of an abbreviated version of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire. The CGSQ-Short Form 7 (CGSQ-SF7) is practical for routine assessment of objective and subjective internalized caregiver strain. The subjective externalized subscale is not included in the CGSQ-SF7. Findings indicate that the reliability and validity of the shortened objective and subjective internalized subscales are comparable to the original. Examination of construct validity suggested that caregiver, youth, and clinician ratings of child clinical severity were related to objective caregiver strain. However, youth and clinician ratings of child clinical severity were not related to subjective internalized caregiver strain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrich, D. (1978). A rating formulation for ordered response categories. Psychometrika, 43, 561–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Messer, S. C., Stangl, D., Farmer, E. M. Z., Costello, J., & Burns, B. J. (1998). Perceived parental burden and service use for child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 75–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Athay, M.M., Riemer, M., Bickman, L. (2012). The symptoms and functioning severity scale (SFSS): psychometric evaluation and discrepancies among youth, caregiver, and clinician ratings over time. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. doi:10.1007/s10488-012-0403-2.

  • Bickman, L., Athay, M. M., Riemer, M., Lambert, E. W., Kelley, S. D., Breda, C., Tempesti, T., Dew-Reeves, S. E., Brannan, A. M., Vides de Andrade, A. R. (Eds.). (2010). Manual of the peabody treatment progress battery [Electronic version], (2nd ed.). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University. http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ptpb/.

  • Bickman, L., Kelley, S. D., Breda, C., DeAndrade, A. R., & Riemer, M. (2011). Effects of routine feedback to clinicians on mental health outcomes of youths: results of a randomized trial. Psychiatric Services, 62, 1423–1429.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bickman, L., Riemer, M., Lambert E. W., Kelley, S. D., Breda, C., Dew, S. E., Brannan, A. M., Vides de Andrade, A. R. (Eds.). (2007). Manual of the peabody treatment progress battery [Electronic version]. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University. http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ptpb/.

  • Brannan, A.M. (in preparation). Development of the abbreviated Caregiver Strain Questionnaire.

  • Brannan, A. M., & Heflinger, C. A. (2001). Distinguishing caregiver strain from psychological distress: modeling the relationship between child, family, and caregiver variables. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 10, 405–418.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brannan, A. M., & Heflinger, C. A. (2005). Child behavioral health service use and caregiver strain: comparison of managed care and fee-for-service Medicaid systems. Mental Health Services Research, 7, 197–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brannan, A. M., & Heflinger, C. A. (2006). Caregiver strain and barriers to care in two child mental health service systems. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 33, 408–422.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brannan, A. M., Heflinger, C. A., & Bickman, L. (1997). The Caregiver Strain Questionnaire: measuring the impact on the family of living with a child with serious emotional disturbance. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 5(4), 212–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brannan, A. M., Heflinger, C. A., & Foster, E. M. (2003). The role of caregiver strain and other family variables in children’s use of mental health services. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, 77–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bussing, R., Zima, B. T., Gary, F. A., & Garvan, C. W. (2003a). Barriers to detection, help-seeking, and service use for children with ADHD symptoms. Journal of Health Services and Research, 30, 176–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bussing, R., Zima, B. T., Gary, F. A., Mason, D. M., Leon, C. E., Sinha, K., et al. (2003b). Social Networks, Caregiver Strain, and Utilization of Mental Health Services Among Elementary School Students at High Risk for ADHD. Journal of the American Academy of Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(7), 842–850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dew-Reeves, S. E., & Athay, M. M. (2012). Validation and use of the youth and caregiver Treatment Outcome Expectations Scale (TOES) to assess the relationship between expectations, pretreatment characteristics, and outcomes. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. doi:10.1007/s10488-012-0406-z.

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larson, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garland, A. F., Haine, R. A., & Boxmeyer, C. L. (2007). Determinates of youth and parent satisfaction in usual care psychotherapy. Evaluation and Program Planning, 30(1), 45–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heflinger, C. A., & Brannan, A. M. (2006). Differences in the experience of caregiver strain between families caring for youth with substance use disorders and families of youth with mental health problems. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 15, 83–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heflinger, C. A., Northrup, D. A., Sonnichsen, S. E., & Brannan, A. M. (1998). Including a family focus in research on community-based services for children with serious emotional disturbance: experience from the Fort Bragg Evaluation Project. In M. H. Epstein, K. Kutash, & A. Duchnowski (Eds.), Outcomes for children with and youth with behavioral and emotional disorders: programs and evaluation best practices (pp. 261–293). Austin: Pro-Ed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heflinger, C. A., Simpkins, C. G., Scholle, S. H., & Kelleher, K. J. (2004). Parent/Caregiver satisfaction with their child’s Medicaid plan and behavioral health providers. Mental Health Services Research, 6, 23–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoenig, J., & Hamilton, M.W. (1967). The burden on the household in extramural psychiatric service. In J. Farndale & H. Freeman (Eds.), New Aspects of the Mental Health Services (pp. 612–635). London: Pergamon.

  • Iecovich, E. (2008). Caregiving burden, community services, and quality of life of primary caregivers of frail elderly persons. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 27(3), 309–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang, E. J., Brannan, A. M., & Heflinger, C. A. (2005). Racial differences in reports of caregiver strain among caregivers of children with emotional and behavioral problems. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 14, 43–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linacre, J.M. (2007). WINSTEPS® 3.63.0 [Computer software]. Retrieved Jan 8, 2007, from http://www.winsteps.com/index.htm.

  • McCabe, K., Yeh, M., Lau, A., Garland, A., & Hough, R. (2003). Racial/ethnic differences in caregiver strain and perceived social support among parents of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. Mental Health Service Research, 5, 137–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKnight, P. E., McKnight, K. M., Sidani, S., & Figueredo, A. J. (2007). Missing data: a gentle introduction. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riemer, M., Athay, M. M., Bickman, L., Breda, C., Kelley, S. D., & Vides de Andrade, A.R. (2012). The Peabody Treatment Progress Battery: History and methods for developing a comprehensive measurement battery for youth mental health. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services. doi:10.1007/s10488-012-0404-1.

  • Roberts, R. E., Alegría, M., Roberts, C. R., & Chen, I. G. (2005). Mental health problems of adolescents as reported by their caregivers: a comparison of European, African, and Latino Americans. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 32(1), 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, D. B. (1987). Multiple imputation for nonresponse in Surveys. New York: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sales, E., Greeno, C., Shear, M. K., & Anderson, C. (2004). Maternal caregiving strain as a mediator in the relationship between child and mother mental health problems. Social Work Research, 28(4), 211–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Von Hippel, P. T. (2005). How many imputations are needed? A comment on Hershberger and Fisher (2003). Structural Equation Modeling, 12, 334–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, B. D., & Linacre, J. M. (1994). Reasonable mean-square fit values. Rasch Measurement Transactions, 8, 370. Retrieved March 10, 2011from www.rasch.org/rmt/rmt83b.htm.

  • Yatchmenoff, D. K., Koren, P. E., Friesen, B. J., Gordon, L. J., & Kinney, R. F. (1998). Enrichment and stress in families caring for a child with a serious emotional disorder. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 7(2), 129–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeh, M., McCabe, K., Hough, R. L., Lau, A., Fakhry, F., & Garland, A. (2005). Why bother with beliefs? Examining relationships between race/ethnicity, parental beliefs about causes of child problems, and mental health service use. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 800–807.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana María Brannan.

Additional information

This research has never been reported at a research meeting.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brannan, A.M., Athay, M.M. & de Andrade, A.R.V. Measurement Quality of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire-Short Form 7 (CGSQ-SF7). Adm Policy Ment Health 39, 51–59 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0412-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0412-1

Keywords

Navigation