Finding PEACE: Development and Pilot Testing of the Positive and Enjoyable Aspects of the Caregiving Experience Measure with Caregivers of Older Adults.

Abstract

Negative aspects of caregiving, including stress and burden, have dominated research. However, there has been a growing awareness of the need to examine the positive and rewarding aspects of caregiving for older adults. This paper will describe the development and pilot testing of a measure that examines the Positive and Enjoyable Aspects of the Caregiving Experience (PEACE). Forty-five caregivers of older adults were recruited from two hospitals within a large regional health system and studied at three points in time. Data were examined only at the second phase of data collection within this study (n = 29). Correlations were used to examine the relationship between positive and enjoyable aspects of caregiving constructs and validated tools. Analysis found high internal reliability (α = 0.82) for a novel measure developed and tested in this study, entitled, the PEACE. Convergent validity was demonstrated by significant positive correlations between the PEACE and quality of life and social support. Divergent validity was found between the PEACE and caregiver burden. This novel measure has the potential for a more holistic assessment of the caregivers' experiences, which offers implications for service provision and program development.