Glasgow STEPS - Caregiving Distress Scale

Caregiving Distress Scale

If you are caring for someone else it can have an impact on your stress levels. This short questionnaire can help you to find out if the demands of care-giving are causing you distress. Think about your current situation as a care-giver. Please say whether you personally disagree or agree with the following statements using the five-point scale below.

0 = Strongly Disagree 1 = Disagree 2 = Neutral 3 = Agree 4 = Strongly Agree

I take part in organised activities less.
I visit my family/friends less.
I take part in other social activities less.
I feel frustrated with caring for the person I care for.
My relationship with the person I care for depresses me.
I feel pressured between giving to the person I care for and others in the family.
I feel that my own health has suffered because of the person I care for.
My realtionship with the person I care for is strained.
Caring for them has made me nervous.
I feel they can only depend on me.
I feel resentful towards them.
I feel helpless in caring for them.
My relationship with the person I care for no longer gives me pleasure.
They try to manipulate me.
I feel overwhelmed by caring for them.
They make more requests than necessary.
I feel that my personal life has suffered because of them.

This questionnaire was developed by Rosanna Cousins, Ann Davies, Christopher Turnbull and Jeremy Playfer who work for the NHS in Norfolk. They kindly gave us permission to use it.