Development of a Scale for Assessing Caregiving Competence in Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia

The aging of family caregivers and the growing number of older adults living alone have intensified concerns about dementia care in Japan. Early and effective assessment of caregiving competence is essential for providing timely support. This study aimed to develop the Caregiving Competence Scale for Dementia (CCSD) for primary family caregivers.

A two-phase scale development study was conducted. In phase 1, potential items were generated through a literature review and refined with feedback from experienced family caregivers. In phase 2, a questionnaire survey assessed construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and examined reliability through internal consistency.

Analyses supported a five-factor solution comprising 27 items (7/5/6/3/6 per factor). Sampling adequacy was high (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin = 0.851), and model fit indices indicated acceptable fit (χ2/df = 1.838; Comparative Fit Index = 0.905; Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.893; root mean square error of approximation = 0.072). Internal consistency was strong (Cronbach's α = 0.892), and concurrent validity was demonstrated by correlations with measures of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and depressive symptoms.

The CCSD is a reliable and valid tool for assessing caregiving competence among family caregivers of individuals with dementia, enabling the development of targeted support strategies and appropriate interventions.