Caregiver Burden – How Much Strain/Load Am I Carrying?

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Caregiving may become intense and unpredictable, carrying with it the risk of a significant physical, emotional, spiritual and/or financial toll of providing care to another.

Caregiver Burden – How Much Strain/Load Am I Carrying?

Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

How Much Strain or Load Am I Carrying? Self-Assessment

Using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-22)

Questionnaire - ZBI-22 Caregiver Burden

The following is a list of statements which reflect how people sometimes feel when taking care of another person. After each statement, indicate how often you feel that way. There are no right or wrong answers.

1. Do you feel that your relative asks for more help than he or she needs? *
2. Do you feel that, because of the time you spend with your relative, you don't have enough time for yourself? *
3. Do you feel stressed between caring for your relative and trying to meet other responsibilities for your family or work? *
4. Do you feel embarrassed about your relative's behavior? *
5. Do you feel angry when you are around your relative? *
6. Do you feel that your relative currently affects your relationship with other family members? *

The Zarit Burden Assessment Tool was first developed in 1980 by Drs. SH Zarit, KE Reever, and J Back-Peterson and is the most well-known, validated measurement tool of caregiving burden.  It was first published in the journal Gerontologist. 1980; 20(6):649-655, and recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a commonly used screening instrument.

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Who is this caregiver burden quiz for?

Anyone who cares for a chronically ill, disabled or elderly family member will at some point experience stress. Each situation is different. And, it is the care situation which can place stress, strain and hardships on the caregiver.  The result of too much strain and load can cause negative impacts to the caregiver’s physical and emotional health.  All caregivers should be aware of the burden they are carrying and, if beginning to be too much, take necessary actions to get relief.

This tool is NOT meant for people under the age of 18.

What will the test tell me?

Your answers to these 22 questions are designed to help you see whether you are experiencing distress as a result of your caregiving situation. Although there may be physical impacts of carrying too much of a burden (e.g., susceptibility to illness because of a weakened immune system), the most direct affects are on your emotional health and documented most commonly as anxiety and/or depression.

Your results are an indicator of whether your health may be at risk. This tool is based on scientific study, but it is not intended to confirm a diagnosis.  As with any self-test, you are given insight into what you are feeling but the diagnosis and treatment of what you are experiencing should be left to health professionals.

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