Conceptualization and measurement of doing family caregiving well

To review progress in the conceptualization and measurement of five concepts related to doing family caregiving well: caregiving mastery, self-efficacy, competence, preparedness, and quality. Families are increasingly involved in providing complex care to ill or aged family members at home. Their ability to do caregiving well is vitally important and a focus of nursing practice in many clinical settings.

Concepts were organized into two groups: those that refer to caregivers' perceptions of how well they are providing care and those that refer to professional assessment of the quality of care provided.

Family caregiving literature from nursing, gerontology, psychology, and social work, 1987-1996.

There is growing interest in doing family caregiving well. However, research in this area is limited by the current state of development of ideas and measures.

Two issues that should be addressed to advance research are the perspective taken on doing caregiving well and change over time in doing caregiving well.