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01-04-2011 | Original Paper

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Burden Assessment Scale with a Sample of African-American Families

Authors: Joseph Guada, Helen Land, Jina Han

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 2/2011

Abstract

It remains unclear if the factor structures of commonly used caregiver burden scales normed on white samples are similar with samples from different ethnic communities. Our study tests the factor structure of the Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with data from low-income, African American families caring for a family member with schizophrenia. The EFA solution included a 2 factor structure of subjective burden and objective burden with strong loadings demonstrating a clear differentiation between the factors. Our results suggest that low income, African American families appear to experience caregiving burden as one major or broad component in their lives similar to other areas that demand ongoing coping and adaptation. Likewise, the factor structure found with this sample as compared to the factor structure found with white samples suggests differences in the perception of and/or the reporting of burden. Study limitations as well as implications for practice are provided.

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Title: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Burden Assessment Scale with a Sample of African-American Families
Authors: Joseph Guada
Helen Land
Jina Han
Publication date: 01-04-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 2/2011
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9298-0

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