Abstract
BACKGROUND: Family caregivers' capacity to care is related to the physical and mental health of older adults with disabilities and their own caregiving experience. However, there is currently a lack of tools to assess the caregiving capacity of family caregivers to care for older adults with disabilities at home. This study aimed to develop and validate an index system for evaluating the caregiving capacity of family caregivers in caring for older adults with disabilities at home. METHODS: A literature review, cross-sectional survey, and qualitative interviews were used to construct an index pool. The Delphi method was employed to establish the index system, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process was utilized to determine the weights of the indicators. The consensus was predefined as a mean important score (Mj) of 3.5 or above and a coefficient of variation (CV) not exceeding 0.25 among the participants. Finally, the index system was transformed into a questionnaire, and a survey was conducted to validate the reliability and validity of the indicator system. RESULTS: The effective response rate for the two rounds of expert consultation was 100%. After two rounds, 3 first-level indicators, 6 s-level indicators, and 22 third-level indicators were determined. The coefficient of expert authority for both rounds was 0.842. The first, second, and third-level indicators of Kendall's W consistency coefficient were 0.650, 0.579, and 0.257(P<0.001). The overall Cronbach's α coefficient of the index system was 0.941, and the content validity index of the index item level ranged from 0.833 to 1.000. CONCLUSIONS: The index system for family caregivers caring for older adults with disabilities at home is comprehensive, scientific, and reasonable, providing a reference for the development of education and training for family caregivers in the future and for evaluating its effectiveness. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.