Conceptualization and Measurement of Doing Family Caregiving Well

PURPOSE: To review progress in the conceptualization and measurement of five concepts related to doing family caregiving well: caregiving mastery, self-efficacy, competence, preparedness, and quality. Families are increasingly involved in providing complex care to ill or aged family members at home. Their ability to do caregiving well is vitally important and a focus of nursing practice in many clinical settings. ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK: Concepts were organized into two groups: those that refer to caregivers' perceptions of how well they are providing care and those that refer to professional assessment of the quality of care provided. SOURCES: Family caregiving literature from nursing, gerontology, psychology, and social work, 1987-1996. FINDINGS: There is growing interest in doing family caregiving well. However, research in this area is limited by the current state of development of ideas and measures. CONCLUSIONS: Two issues that should be addressed to advance research are the perspective taken on doing caregiving well and change over time in doing caregiving well.