The psychosocial toll of caring for an individualwith dementia is an important, if understudied, concept. Forpractitioners and researchers alike, understanding the relationbetween patient characteristics and different facets of caregiverburden is important for guiding treatment and preventionefforts. The current study analyzed the dimensions of caregiverburden and the relation between caregiver burden and resultsof neuropsychological testing. Participants included 243 dyadsof caregivers and Veterans referred for neuropsychologicalevaluation. Caregivers completed the Zarit Burden Interview(ZBI) to assess caregiver burden. Patients completed a batteryof neuropsychological tests measuring the domains of attention/processingspeed, memory, language, and executive functioning.A principal components analysis of the ZBI revealed athreefactor structure psychosocial burden, dependency burden,and guilt. Correlations with neuropsychological test performanceby Veteran patients suggested that test performancein the memory, attention, processing speed, executive functioning,and emotional functioning domains were solely related tothe caregiver dependency burden factor of the ZBI. Additionalanalyses suggested severity of dementia and number of tests inthe impaired range further influenced reported caregiver burden.The current study is one of the few studies examiningcaregiver burden in relation to neuropsychological functioningin a mixed clinical sample and has important implications forclinical practice.
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