HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALL ISSUES SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Prigerson, H. G. Articles by Bradley, E. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Prigerson, H. G. Articles by Bradley, E. H.

The Stressful Caregiving Adult Reactions to Experiences of Dying (SCARED) Scale

A Measure for Assessing Caregiver Exposure to Distress in Terminal Care

Received August 12, 2001; revised May 14, June 13, 2002; accepted June 14, 2002. From the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (HGP,JHC); the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (HGP,EC,SVK,EHB); and the Connecticut Hospice, Branford, CT (RH). Address correspondence to Dr. Holly G. Prigerson, Rm. 522, Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519. e-mail: Holly.Prigerson{at}Yale.edu

Objective: The authors evaluated the performance of the Stressful Caregiving Adult Reactions to Experiences of Dying (SCARED) scale, a new tool to assess caregiver exposure to patient distress, and the fear and helplessness evoked by these experiences. Methods: The SCARED was administered to 76 hospice-patient caregivers (e.g., family members). Major depressive disorder (MDD) was diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV; complicated grief (CG) "caseness" was diagnosed with the Inventory of Complicated Grief–Caregiver items, and quality-of-life domains were assessed with the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form–36. Results: Respondents endorsed frequent exposure to each SCARED experience—from 30.3% who mistakenly thought the patient had died, to 80.3% who witnessed the patient in severe pain. Adjusted analyses revealed that the odds of MDD increased by 3.08 for each standard-deviation increase in the SCARED event frequency score and that higher SCARED scores were positively associated (p <0.05) with social and role impairment, less energy, and more negative health perceptions. Conclusion: The SCARED may be a clinically useful tool for identifying caregivers at risk for MDD and quality-of-life impairments, as well as potential aspects of caregiving to target for treatment.

Key Words: Caregiver Stress • Assessment Scales

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.-A. Lee and D. Carr Does the Context of Spousal Loss Affect the Physical Functioning of Older Widowed Persons? A Longitudinal Analysis Research on Aging, September 1, 2007; 29(5): 457 - 487. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. E. Kris, E. J. Cherlin, H. Prigerson, M. D.A. Carlson, R. Johnson-Hurzeler, S. V. Kasl, and E. H. Bradley Length of Hospice Enrollment and Subsequent Depression in Family Caregivers: 13-Month Follow-Up Study Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, March 1, 2006; 14(3): 264 - 269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. C. Vanderwerker, R. E. Laff, N. S. Kadan-Lottick, S. McColl, and H. G. Prigerson Psychiatric Disorders and Mental Health Service Use Among Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients J. Clin. Oncol., October 1, 2005; 23(28): 6899 - 6907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Moran Caregivers' Symptoms Often Overlooked, Untreated Psychiatr News, July 4, 2003; 38(13): 21 - 21. [Full Text]