Mental Health of Caregivers

Caregivers are at elevated risk for developing mental health disorders, so caregivers should, at a minimum, be screened for these conditions. In some situations a full diagnostic evaluation is appropriate (e.g., a caregiver asking for treatment for depression).

Other caregivers seek assistance with the care demands or burdens but do not identify themselves as having mental health problems. This latter group still should be screened to ensure that the elevated risks for mental disorder are appropriately considered.

The following questionnaires are commonly used with adults of any background and have been utilized in caregiving research studies and clinical work as well.

Depression

• Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CESD)
• Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
• Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
• Primary Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and (PHQ-2)

Anxiety

• Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI)
• The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Grief and complicated grief

• Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG)
• Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG)