Table 3.
TBI-CareQOL Caregiver Strain Item Parameters
| Item | Slope | Threshold 1 | Threshold 2 | Threshold 3 | Threshold 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I feel like there is no rest when it comes to providing care for the person with the injury. | 2.14 | −1.25 | −0.36 | 0.65 | 1.51 |
| I have trouble giving the same level of care that I did in the past. | 1.52 | −0.43 | 0.58 | 2.30 | 3.17 |
| Small things stress me out more than they should when it comes to caring for the person with the injury. | 1.92 | −1.28 | −0.31 | 1.08 | 2.06 |
| I feel like I am the only one who can care for the person with the injury. | 1.42 | −1.32 | −0.58 | 0.37 | 1.28 |
| When it comes to caring for the person with the injury, I feel like there is no way out. | 1.88 | −0.24 | 0.42 | 1.59 | 2.27 |
| I have trouble doing general household chores (i.e., taking out the trash) due to the responsibilities I have as a caregiver. | 2.10 | −0.19 | 0.63 | 1.71 | 2.38 |
| I have too much to do because of the responsibilities I have as a caregiver. | 3.07 | −0.58 | 0.08 | 0.95 | 1.71 |
| I wish I had help with the responsibilities I have as a caregiver. | 2.37 | −1.04 | −0.28 | 1.05 | 1.71 |
| I feel angry about the amount of help I get with the responsibilities I have as a caregiver. | 2.66 | −0.18 | 0.49 | 1.45 | 1.94 |
| I am getting more and more tired of my caregiving responsibilities. | 2.59 | −0.25 | 0.55 | 1.52 | 2.16 |
| I cannot handle any more responsibility when it comes to providing care for the person with the injury. | 2.24 | −0.32 | 0.61 | 1.44 | 2.39 |
| I cannot do everything that needs to be done for the person I care for. | 1.76 | −0.54 | 0.46 | 1.72 | 2.73 |
| I feel stressed when it comes to providing care for the person with the injury. | 3.03 | −1.09 | −0.28 | 0.94 | 1.63 |
| I feel so stressed that I am not taking care of myself. | 2.83 | −0.37 | 0.34 | 1.30 | 1.90 |
| I feel drained by my responsibilities as a caregiver. | 3.72 | −0.69 | 0.02 | 1.04 | 1.60 |
| I feel that stress makes me forget things more easily. | 2.59 | −0.85 | −0.10 | 0.95 | 1.65 |
| I feel that stress is making me age faster. | 2.67 | −0.81 | −0.16 | 0.79 | 1.44 |
| I feel like I am never going to stop feeling stressed. | 3.14 | −0.62 | −0.09 | 0.83 | 1.46 |
| I feel stressed about how the person I care for might act. | 1.77 | −1.02 | −0.21 | 1.01 | 1.82 |
| I feel stressed about the medical care the person I care for is receiving. | 1.58 | −0.76 | 0.05 | 1.03 | 1.80 |
| I feel stressed out when interacting with the person I care for. | 1.63 | −0.74 | 0.20 | 1.94 | 2.78 |
| I have to limit my social activity because I have too much to do. | 2.43 | −0.81 | −0.15 | 0.74 | 1.41 |
| I feel that stress makes it difficult to start anything new. | 3.48 | −0.64 | −0.04 | 0.88 | 1.50 |
| I feel that stress makes me feel tired. | 3.40 | −1.18 | −0.63 | 0.42 | 1.10 |
| I feel that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. | 2.52 | −1.24 | −0.69 | 0.35 | 0.94 |
| I feel that stress makes it more difficult to concentrate. | 3.02 | −1.16 | −0.36 | 0.68 | 1.40 |
| I feel like I am under too much pressure when it comes to providing care for the person with the injury. | 2.87 | −0.47 | 0.34 | 1.44 | 2.14 |
| I feel so stressed that I am not sure where to begin. | 2.86 | −0.64 | 0.15 | 1.28 | 1.98 |
| I feel like I can never take a break from my caregiver responsibilities. | 2.56 | −0.79 | −0.06 | 0.68 | 1.40 |
| I feel alone in my caregiving duties. | 2.59 | −0.63 | −0.05 | 0.71 | 1.36 |
| I feel frustrated with my situation. | 2.85 | −0.77 | −0.08 | 1.02 | 1.55 |
| I feel so stressed that I want to remove myself from the situation. | 1.64 | 0.03 | 0.84 | 2.17 | 2.98 |
| I feel burdened with the responsibility of caring for the person with the injury. | 2.10 | −0.21 | 0.55 | 1.75 | 2.54 |
Note. Items that are indicated in bold were selected for inclusion on the 6-item Caregiver Strain short form