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Protocol - Family Burden of Mental Illness

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Description

The Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) is a 19-item, self-administered scale to assess the burden on families with a seriously mentally ill family member. Items 1-10 assess objective consequences, including financial problems, limitations on personal activity, and household disruptions. Items 11-19 measure subjective consequences, including shame, stigma, guilt, and resentment. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale (1 = not at all; 4 = a lot). To score the BAS, ratings from each item are added together to give a total score, with higher scores indicating greater levels of caregiver burden.

Specific Instructions

None

Availability

Available

Protocol

BURDEN ASSESSMENT SCALE

I am going to read a list of things which other people have found to happen to them because of their relative’s illness. Would you tell me to what extent you have had any of the following experiences in the past six months.

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

Because of (name’s) illness, to what extent have you:

    ________

1. Had financial problems

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

2. Missed days at work (or school)

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

3. Found it difficult to concentrate on your own activities

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

4. Had to change your personal plans like taking a new job, or going on vacation

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

5. Cut down on leisure time

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

6. Found the household routine was upset

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

7. Had less time to spend with friends

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

8. Neglected other family members’ needs

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

9. Experienced family frictions and arguments

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

10. Experienced frictions with neighbors, friends, or relatives outside the home

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

11. Became embarrassed because of (name’s) behavior

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

12. Felt guilty because you were not doing enough to help

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

13. Felt guilty because you felt responsible for causing (name’s) problem

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

14. Resented (name) because s/he made too many demands on you

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

15. Felt trapped by your caregiving role

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

16. Were upset about how much (name) had changed from his or her former self

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

17. Worried about how your behavior with (name) might make the illness worse

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

18. Worried about what the future holds for (name)

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA

    ________

19. Found the stigma of the illness upsetting

____1____

____2____

____3____

____4____

____9____

Not at all

A little

Some

A lot

NA


Scoring: Ratings from each item are added together to give a total score, with higher scores indicating greater levels of caregiver burden.

Personnel and Training Required

None

Equipment Needs

None

Requirements
Requirement CategoryRequired
Major equipment No
Specialized training No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual No
Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult

Participants

Adults, ages 18 years and older

Selection Rationale

The Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) is a short, reliable, and valid self-administered questionnaire that is easy to use, score, and interpret.

Language

English

Standards
StandardNameIDSource
caDSR Form PhenX PX662201 - Family Burden Of Mental Illness 6920801 caDSR Form
Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

Not applicable.

Protocol Name from Source

Burden Assessment Scale (BAS)

Source

Reinhard, S.C., Gubman, G.D., Horwitz, A.V., & Minsky, S. (1994). Burden assessment scale for families of the seriously mentally ill. Evaluation and Program Planning, 17(3): 261-269.

General References

Guada, J., Land, H., & Han, J. (2011). An exploratory factor analysis of the Burden Assessment Scale with a sample of African- American families. Community Mental Health Journal, 47(2), 233-242.

Ivarsson, A.-B., Sidenvall, B., & Carlsson, M. (2004). The factor structure of the Burden Assessment Scale and the perceived burden of caregivers for individuals with severe mental disorders. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 18(4), 396-401.

Murdoch, D.D., Rahman, A., Barsky, V., Maunula, S., Cawthorpe, D. (2014). The use of the Burden Assessment Scale with families of a pediatric population. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(6): 703-710.

Protocol ID

662201

Variables
Export Variables
Variable Name Variable IDVariable DescriptiondbGaP Mapping
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Behavior_Worsen_Illness
PX662201170000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: worried about how your behavior with (name) might make the illness worse show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Change_Personal_Plans
PX662201040000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: had to change your personal plans like taking a new job, or going on vacation show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Difficulty_Concentrating
PX662201030000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: found it difficult to concentrate on your own activities show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Embarrassed_Behavior
PX662201110000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: became embarrassed because of (name's) behavior show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Family_Tensions
PX662201090000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: experienced family frictions and arguments show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Financial_Problems
PX662201010000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: had financial problems show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Future
PX662201180000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: worried about what the future holds for (name) show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Guilty_Help
PX662201120000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: felt guilty because you were not doing enough to help show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Guilty_Problem
PX662201130000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: felt guilty because you felt responsible for causing (name's) problem show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Less_Leisure
PX662201050000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: cut down on leisure time show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Less_Social
PX662201070000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: had less time to spend with friends show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Missed_Work
PX662201020000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: missed days at work (or school) show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Neglected_Others
PX662201080000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: neglected other family members' needs show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Resentment
PX662201140000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: resented (name) because s/he made too many demands on you show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Routine_Upsetting
PX662201060000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: found the household routine was upset show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Stigma_Illness
PX662201190000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: found the stigma of the illness upsetting show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Tension_Others
PX662201100000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: experienced frictions with neighbors, friends, or relatives outside the home show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Trapped
PX662201150000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: felt trapped by your caregiving role show less
N/A
PX662201_Burden_Assessment_Upset
PX662201160000 Because of name's illness, to what extent more
have you: were upset about how much (name) had changed from his or her former self show less
N/A
Early Psychosis Translational Research
Measure Name

Family Burden of Mental Illness

Release Date

January 17, 2017

Definition

A questionnaire to assess the impact of the illness on family members

Purpose

This measure can be used to investigate the caregiver burden experienced by parents and siblings of person with a serious mental disorder.

Keywords

early psychosis, family burden, family, Burden Assessment Scale, BAS, caregiver

Measure Protocols
Protocol ID Protocol Name
662201 Family Burden of Mental Illness
Publications

There are no publications listed for this protocol.