Zarit scale: what is this psychological test and what is it for?

Usually it is thought that the patient is the only one who suffers, but really after a subject suffering some pathology there is a group of people who are also affected in some way by said situation.

The Zarit scale is a psychometric evaluation instrument intended to measure the level of affection that people dedicated to caring for patients diagnosed with some type of dementia may have.

In this article we will review the technical sheet of the zarit scale, we will see the procedure for its application and correction, the population for which said scale is intended, as well as we review what the syndrome of carer.

• Related article: "Types of psychological tests: their functions and characteristics"

What is the Zarit scale?

The Zarit scale was originally composed by Steven H. Zarit, and It consists of 22 reactive items with a Likert-type response.. This instrument is intended to measure the level of awareness and perception of caregivers regarding the areas of their lives that are affected due to their work.

The frequency values ​​available to the subject to answer the Zarit scale are between 1 (never) and 5 (almost always).

The areas of the questionnaire include both physical and psychological, taking into account that caring for a person with dementia is a demanding task in several aspects, and can significantly alter the lives of those who care for this type of patient.

The financial and social resources invested in care are also taken into account by the items on the Zarit scale.

The score range of this instrument is between 22 to 110 points, the higher the range of score obtained by the subject, the greater the level of affection that he presents with respect to his work as carer.

• You may be interested in: "Types of dementias: the 8 forms of loss of cognition"

Application

The application of this instrument can be in multiple ways. For example, a collective application could be carried out in the event that a study is being carried out on a population sample. It can also be self-administered, in case we are caring for a patient and want to know to what extent we are affected.

In the field of clinical psychology, the therapist could apply this scale in order to know exactly the level of condition of your patient, and at the same time show him in a measurable way that it is necessary to look for better alternatives regarding his work as a caregiver.

Instrument correction

Once the total scores of the scale have been obtained, in the 22 reactive items, they are added. As mentioned above, the range is between 22 and 110. The cut-off points that determine the level of condition of the caregiver, according to the Spanish adaptation, are the following:

• Without overload: 22- 46.
• Overload: 47-55.
• Intense overload: 56-110.
• Population.

The population for which the Zarit scale is intended includes all those people who meet the characteristic of being providing care to one or more patients with some type of dementia diagnosed.

When the subject is taking care of a loved one, it is difficult to make him understand that It is not healthy to devote yourself full time to these tasks. In these cases, there is an emotional bias that blocks the objectivity of caregivers. In these cases, the therapist must apply the techniques and treatments taking into account the intensity of the dependency that the caregiver presents for the subject he cares for.

Sometimes caregivers create a dysfunctional environment, where their actions are counterproductive for all parties involved (caregiver, relatives and patient)

caregiver syndrome

The Zarit caregiver scale is designed, among other things, to determine whether a person may be presenting caregiver syndrome, which consists of a state of general affectation caused by performing care tasks for a person with symptoms of dementia.

The emotional, physical, and sometimes also economic overload that falls on some caregivers, especially when it comes to family members, can completely modify the roles played by each of them inside its core.

This situation complicates their daily activities to a high degree and can mean the loss of jobs, family separations, among another series of maladaptive situations for the subjects that present the syndrome of the carer.

Recommendations to avoid the syndrome

In general terms, the professional guidelines that are usually given to caregivers to reduce the risk of presenting this symptomatology are the following:

• Don't be the only one dedicated to care, delegate functions.
• Avoid social isolation at all costs.
• Prevent high stress levels.
• Discuss the patient's evolution with other family members or caregivers.
• Maintain healthy lifestyle habits (food, sleep, hygiene).
• Have moments of rest (set aside time to do other things of personal interest).

In the case of therapists who have patients with caregiver syndrome, they must work to promote their autonomy and channel any behavior problems they may present. With the purpose of achieving that the subject adequately distributes the time between her life and that of the patient he cares for.