The Development of Two New Computer Adaptive Tests To Evaluate Feelings of Loss in Caregivers of Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: TBI-CareQOL Feelings of Loss-Self and Feelings of Loss-Person With Traumatic Brain Injury.
Noelle E Carlozzi, Michael A Kallen, Phillip A Ianni and 7 others
PMID 29958904WHAT IT FOUND
Two new caregiver questionnaires measure feelings of loss about themselves and the person with traumatic brain injury.
Tested in 560 caregivers, they can be given as tailored computer tests or 6-item short forms with reliable scores.
Key findings
01The item pool was reduced to two separate caregiver measures: Feelings of Loss-Self (30 items) and Feelings of Loss-Person with TBI (19 items).
02Simulated computer adaptive tests closely matched full item-bank scores (0.97 for loss-Self, 0.98 for loss-Person) and averaged 5.9 and 5.7 items.
03The 6-item short forms showed very good 3-week test-retest reliability (r=.87 for loss-Self and r=.85 for loss-Person).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The sample was mostly female (86%), so results may not generalise well to male caregivers. Most service member and veteran caregivers were spouses, so parent caregivers are less represented. Computer adaptive tests could take 12 items for very low or very high scores, and inconsistent responses can increase item number. Only 145 caregivers completed the 3-week retest. The study did not show that these measures predict patient or caregiver outcomes or change with treatment; responsiveness to change still needs work. The paper develops and tests measures, not an intervention, so it does not show that assessing loss improves care.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not include an author conflicts-of-interest declaration. Publication types list research support from NIH and the U.S. Government, non-PHS.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these measures as proof that caregiver feelings of loss cause poorer recovery or that treatment will improve them. This paper tested how well the questionnaires measure loss, not whether the scores predict outcomes or respond to treatment.