title: Caregiver appraisals of functional dependence in individuals with dementia and associated caregiver upset: psychometric properties of a new scale and response patterns by caregiver and care recipient characteristics.
abstract: To evaluate psychometric properties and response patterns of the Care-giver Assessment of Function and Upset (CAFU), a 15-item multidimensional measure of dependence in dementia patients and caregiver reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  640 families were administered the CAFU (53% White, 43% African American, and 4% mixed race and ethnicity). We created a random split of the sample and conducted exploratory factor analyses on Sample 1 and confirmatory factor analyses on Sample 2. Convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A two-factor structure for functional items was derived, and excellent factorial validity was obtained. Convergent and discriminant validity were obtained for function and upset measures. Differential response patterns for dependence and caregiver upset were found for caregiver race, relationship, and care recipient gender but not for caregiver gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CAFU is easily administered, reliable, and valid for evaluating appraisals of dependencies and upsetting care areas.
authors.affiliation: Thomas Jefferson University, USA.
authors.forename: Laura N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Gitlin
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Louis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Burgio
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
authors.forename: Laraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Argüelles
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martindale
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003704:Dementia; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D014481:United States