A path model of elder caregiver burden in Indian/Pakistani families in the United States.

Caregiver burden can be seen and analyzed within a cost/reward exchange framework. Within this context of caregiving the importance of relationship quality as a determinant of burden was examined for 118 Indian/Pakistani families. The quality of relationship between the caregiver and the elderly emerged as a key factor in predicting burden. Other factors predicting burden were gender, role overload, role conflict, and health problems of the elder. In addition, it was found that there were several indirect effects through relationship quality that predicted burden: support tasks by elder, role conflict, and gender of the caregiver.