Measurement of leisure time satisfaction in family caregivers

Abstract

Caregiving is known to limit participation in a variety of roles. Leisure roles are increasingly recognized as important for the well-being of older adults. Little is known, however, about the impact of caregiving on leisure activities, and existing measures are of limited utility in caregiving research. We developed the Leisure Time Satisfaction (LTS) measure to allow further study of the impact of caregiving on caregivers' leisure time satisfaction, the role of leisure in understanding the caregiving process, and whether caregiving interventions improve leisure time satisfaction. The six-item LTS measure shows excellent psychometric properties, including internal consistency, a single factor structure, and convergent validity. Psychometric features are robust across diverse groups of caregivers, including subgroups varying by race/ethnicity and relationship to the care recipient. The LTS measure appears to be a promising tool for inclusion in caregiving research.