title: An exploratory factor analysis of the Burden Assessment Scale with a sample of African-American families.
abstract: It remains unclear if the factor structures of commonly used caregiver burden scales normed on white samples are similar with samples from different ethnic communities. Our study tests the factor structure of the Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with data from low-income, African American families caring for a family member with schizophrenia. The EFA solution included a 2 factor structure of subjective burden and objective burden with strong loadings demonstrating a clear differentiation between the factors. Our results suggest that low income, African American families appear to experience caregiving burden as one major or broad component in their lives similar to other areas that demand ongoing coping and adaptation. Likewise, the factor structure found with this sample as compared to the factor structure found with white samples suggests differences in the perception of and/or the reporting of burden. Study limitations as well as implications for practice are provided.
authors.affiliation: College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. guada.1@osu.edu
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guada
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Land
authors.forename: Jina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family; D005192:Family Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D015141:Los Angeles; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult