Development and Validation of the Carer Well-Being and Support (CWS) Questionnaire

Background to the study

• The SDO’s review of outcomes tools for carers for people with mental health problems and dementia recommended one instrument, the Carers’ and Users’ Expectations of Services – Carers’ Version (CUES-C), for further development and psychometric evaluation.
• The SDO commissioned us to lead this work, working in collaboration with Rethink, the Alzheimer’s Society and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Study aims

• To review and revise CUES-C to produce a modified instrument that measures all important aspects of the experience of carers of people with severe mental health problems or dementia.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the revised version of CUES-C in two-stage field testing.

Method

• Over three main study phases we deconstructed the original CUES-C and developed and tested a new instrument, called the Carer Well-Being and Support Questionnaire (CWS).
• The final version of the questionnaire was evaluated in a sample of 361 carers, recruited via the NHS, Rethink and Alzheimer’s Society services and training courses for carers.

Results & future work

• The CWS shows good evidence for validity and reliability.
• Future research and development will include adapting the CWS for use with other carer groups and evaluating the feasibility of using the CWS for the routine assessment of needs and outcomes.

Timescale

• November 2006 – September 2008

Contact

• Dr. Alan Quirk, Research Fellow & Project Manager, 020 7977 6648, email: aquirk@cru.rcpsych.ac.uk.