Development and testing of the caregiver reciprocity scale

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Caregiver reciprocity is crucial in intergenerational support.
• Understanding the dimensions of this reciprocity is vital for family dynamics.
• Existing frameworks often lack specific measures for caregiver reciprocity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the dimensions of caregiver reciprocity.
• To examine reciprocal intergenerational exchanges of assistance and support.
• To provide a robust measure for assessing caregiver reciprocity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with 12 caregivers informed item development.
• Expert panels assessed content validity.
• Quantitative testing with 303 adult children assessed reliability and validity using structural equation modeling.

Main Results:

• Construct validity was supported for four factors: Warmth and Regard, Intrinsic Rewards of Giving, Love and Affection, and Balance within Family Caregiving.
• The developed scale demonstrated reliability and validity.
• Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the four-factor structure.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully developed and validated a measure of caregiver reciprocity.
• The four identified factors provide a nuanced understanding of the dynamics in family caregiving.
• This validated measure can be used in future research on family support and caregiving.