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Learning Objective 1: Describe the process of how professionals assessed behavior management skill of family caregivers of persons with dementia.
Learning Objective 2: Identify factors that influenced professional’s assessment of caregiver skill.
Problem: Professionals are often called upon to help family caregivers of persons with dementia to improve their skills, particularly in management of behavioral symptoms of dementia. A more refined process is needed that assists professionals to: 1) identify necessary caregiver skills; 2) assess these skills; and 3) target interventions that further develop needed caregiver skills.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: 1) describe the process of how professionals assessed behavior management skill of family caregivers of persons with dementia; and 2) identify factors that influenced professional’s assessment of caregiver skill.
Methods: This study was a secondary qualitative analysis of data collected in an on-going NIH-funded clinical trial (R01 NR009543) that tested an enhanced physical activity intervention (treatment) in comparison to a caregiver skill-building intervention (control). The sample consisted of 1,234 narrative responses from research interventionists who completed a 28-item Clinician Assessment of Behavioral Skill: Professional Form during caregivers’ baseline assessment. The Krippendorff’s technique for qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes.
Results: Three major themes emerged in professional’s rating of caregiver skill: 1) how skill was assessed; 2) factors that influenced professional assessment; and 3) caregiver characteristics that support skill.
Conclusion: Professional assessment of caregiver skill is a complex process. Knowledge about dementia care is not enough. Professionals need to further integrate complex information regarding needs of impaired family members, caregiver personal qualities, and health care provider environment in order to assist family caregivers to creatively apply adaptive intervention techniques.
Implications: Findings from this study expand understanding of caregiver skill components that can guide healthcare professionals to assess caregiver behavior management skill and target interventions for further caregiver skill development. Findings may be used to teach clinicians how to rate caregiver skills in long-term care settings.