title: Development and validation of the Experiential Avoidance in Caregiving Questionnaire (EACQ).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Providing care to a relative with dementia is associated with negative health consequences. Experiential avoidance has been found to be related to caregivers' distress. However, no specific measure of experiential avoidance in the caregiving context is available. The aim of this study is to develop and present the psychometric properties of the Experiential Avoidance in Caregiving Questionnaire (EACQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 263 dementia family caregivers (mean age = 61.37; SD = 14.84; 78.3% female). In addition to the EACQ, the Action and Acceptance Questionnaire (AAQ) was used. Depression, anxiety, alexithymia, cognitive fusion, dysfunctional thoughts about caregiving, and mean arterial pressure were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using principal component analysis, three factors were retained that explained 44.75% of the variance. These factors were labeled: (1) Active Avoidant Behaviors; (2) Intolerance of Negative Thoughts and Emotions Towards the Relative; and (3) Apprehension Concerning Negative Internal Experiences Related to Caregiving. Acceptable reliability indexes (Cronbach's alpha) were found for each factor (.63 for factor 1; .71 for factor 2; and .60 for factor 3) and the total scale (α = .70). Significant positive associations were found between the global scale and anxiety, dysfunctional thoughts, alexithymia and the AAQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EACQ shows acceptable psychometric properties and may be a useful tool for clinical assessment and therapeutic work with caregivers.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Universidad Rey Juan Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Losada
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Márquez-González
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero-Moreno
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: acceptance and commitment therapy; anxiety; blood pressure; dementia care; depression; family caregivers