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).Method: 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.Conclusion: The EACQ shows acceptable psychometric properties and may be a useful tool for clinical assessment and therapeutic work with caregivers.

Keywords:

• acceptance and commitment therapy
• anxiety
• blood pressure
• dementia care
• depression
• family caregivers

Acknowledgements

We thank all the caregivers for their participation in the study and also the following organizations and institutions for collaborating with us in the project: Fundación Cien, Fundación María Wolff, Servicio de Geriatría del Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Centros de día Vitalia, Centro de Salud General Ricardos, Centro de Salud García Noblejas, Centro de Salud Benita de Ávila, Centro de Salud Vicente Muzas, Centro Reina Sofía de Cruz Roja, Unidad de Memoria de Cantoblanco, Servicio de Neurología del Hospital La Paz, Asociación de Familiares de Alzheimer de Alcorcón, Instituto de familia de la Universidad CEU San Pablo, Centro de Psicología Aplicada de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Servicios Sociales de Getafe.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [grant number PSI 2009-081327PSIC]; the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [grant number PSI2012-31293].