Development and Evaluation of a Self-Assessment Tool for Family Caregivers: A Step Toward Empowering Family Members

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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Family members who provide care play a central but often underestimated role in the healthcare system and are frequently exposed to considerable physical, emotional, and social stress. To better understand and support their needs, a structured self-assessment tool (SSA-PA) was developed. This development addresses the current lack of practical, validated instruments that enable caregivers to systematically reflect on their own stress levels and resources, which is becoming increasingly important in view of the growing demand for care and the risk of caregiver burnout. This tool aims to promote self-reflection, identify individual stresses and resources, and enable more targeted support for family caregivers. Methods: The development process (September–December 2024) followed a multi-phase design that integrated theoretical foundations from nursing, health, and psychology, in particular Orem’s theory of self-care deficit, Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping model, and Engel’s biopsychosocial model. Four core dimensions were defined: (1) health and self-care, (2) burden and stress, (3) support and resources, and (4) satisfaction and quality of life. The final tool comprises 37 items (mostly 5-point Likert scales), supplemented by multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Content validity was ensured through expert review and testing with nine family caregivers. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.998), indicating very high reliability, although possible item redundancies were identified. The evaluation took place in January 2025 with 33 family caregivers to assess user-friendliness, relevance, and perceived usefulness. Results: The majority of participants rated the tool as user-friendly and clearly structured. Around 80% reported a high level of comprehensibility, and over half stated that the tool provided new insights into their own health and care burden. Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of the tool for self-reflection and motivation to seek external support. Suggestions for improvement included shorter item formulations, improved visual feedback (e.g., progress bars or charts), and expanded question areas on financial burdens and digital support options. Conclusions: The SSA-PA is a theoretically grounded and user-centered tool for assessing and reflecting on the situation of family caregivers. It not only enables systematic self-assessments but also promotes awareness and proactive coping strategies. Future research should focus on conducting factor analyses to further validate the construct, testing the tool in larger samples, and exploring its integration into structured care consultations to improve the quality of home care.

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