Validity and Reliability of the Preparedness for Care Scale in Family Caregivers of People with Chronic Illness in Colombia

Abstract

Background: Family caregivers assume their role suddenly and in many cases without the necessary preparation and resources for these responsibilities. Preparedness for Caregiving Scale measures the level of preparedness perceived by the family caregiver to assume the responsibilities of the role. Aim: To assess the validity and reliability of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) in family caregivers of people with chronic illness in Colombia by analyzing its psychometric properties. Methods: Psychometric validation study, conducted in 2022 with 109 family caregivers of people with chronic diseases. Convenience sampling was used. Validity was established by exploratory factor analysis and divergent validity was assessed using ZARIT. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis validate the unifactorial structure of PCS. Divergent validity was established with a Pearson correlation of −0.247. PCS has internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha = 0.925. The stability of the scale showed significant correlations between items, with a total correlation of 0.585. Conclusion: The validation of the scale in caregivers of people with chronic diseases in Colombia demonstrates validity and reliability for its use in the Colombian context. More studies are needed to measure caregiving preparedness in different caregivers and to develop interventions focused on caregiver preparedness.