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Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Intensive Care".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 3545

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Silvia Cimino

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: developmental psychopathology; eating disorders; parent-child interactions; trauma; psychoanalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue entitled “Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition”. This is a new volume, building upon the eight papers we published in the first volume (for more details, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jcm/special_issues/R2WXHLF489).

We are excited to present our latest Special Issue focusing on “Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition”. This edition aims to highlight cutting-edge research within the realm of clinical caregiving, underscoring the significance of caregivers' sensitivity and adaptability to the needs of those under their care. Through the introduction of innovative assessment tools and theoretical constructs, this Special Issue endeavors to illuminate the pivotal role that caregivers play in enhancing the overall well-being and mental health outcomes of their recipients. We invite you to join us in exploring the most recent developments that contribute to a deeper understanding of caregivers' interactions and their profound influence on the lives of individuals.

Dr. Silvia Cimino
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • clinical caregiving
  • sensitivity assessment
  • contingency modeling
  • caregiver–patient interactions
  • mental health outcomes
  • novel assessment measures
  • therapeutic responsiveness
  • caregiver interventions
  • clinical well-being
  • care recipient support

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 349 KB  
Article
Validation of the Psychometric Properties of the German Version of OBI-Care in Informal Caregivers of Stroke Survivors
by Michael Schön, Cornelia Lischka, Hanna Köttl, Mandana Fallahpour, Susanne Guidetti, Larisa Baciu, Stefanie Lentner, Evelyn Haberl and Mona Dür
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(17), 6270; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14176270 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 561
Abstract
Background: In occupational science and therapy, occupations are understood as meaningful activities. Satisfaction with the amount and variety of occupations is called occupational balance. The “Occupational Balance in Informal Caregivers” (OBI-Care) questionnaire assesses satisfaction with occupations across three subscales: occupational areas, characteristics, [...] Read more.
Background: In occupational science and therapy, occupations are understood as meaningful activities. Satisfaction with the amount and variety of occupations is called occupational balance. The “Occupational Balance in Informal Caregivers” (OBI-Care) questionnaire assesses satisfaction with occupations across three subscales: occupational areas, characteristics, and resilience. In doing so, it also addresses occupational contingency, i.e., the ability to adapt occupations in response to unforeseen events. While previous studies have confirmed its validity in other populations, psychometric properties have not been explored in informal caregivers of stroke survivors. This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity, internal consistency, and suitability of the German OBI-Care for assessing occupational balance for this target group. Methods: A validation study was conducted using data collected via an online survey. Measurement properties of the three subscales were examined using Rasch Rating Scale analysis, exploring construct validity, internal consistency, and interpretability. Construct validity was assessed via dimensionality analyses, item fit, model fit, and threshold ordering. Internal consistency was evaluated using inter-item correlations, item–total correlations, person separation index, and Cronbach’s alpha. Interpretability was examined through floor and ceiling effects. Results: A total of 156 informal caregivers of stroke survivors participated, with 84% (n = 131) women and a median age of 58 (IQR: 49–66) years. All subscales showed unidimensionality with acceptable item and model fit and ordered thresholds. Internal consistency was excellent across all subscales. No floor and ceiling effects were observed. Conclusions: This study demonstrates good construct validity, internal consistency, and interpretability of the German OBI-Care. It is suitable for assessing occupational balance and may help identify and support occupational contingency in informal caregivers of stroke survivors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 262 KB  
Article
Fathers’ Cocaine Use and Parent–Child Feeding Interactions
by Luca Cerniglia, Angelo Giovanni Icro Maremmani and Silvia Cimino
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(4), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14041148 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 766
Abstract
Background: Limited research has explored father–child interactions during feeding in dyads where fathers use cocaine, despite the critical role these interactions play in infant development. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate whether paternal cocaine use, psychopathology (measured via the SCL-90/R), and difficult child [...] Read more.
Background: Limited research has explored father–child interactions during feeding in dyads where fathers use cocaine, despite the critical role these interactions play in infant development. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate whether paternal cocaine use, psychopathology (measured via the SCL-90/R), and difficult child temperament (assessed using the QUIT) are linked to lower-quality father–child feeding interactions (evaluated through the SVIA) compared to dyads with non-substance-using fathers. Results: Father–child feeding interactions in the substance-using (SU) group were significantly poorer in quality than those in the non-substance-using (NSU) group. Fathers using cocaine displayed elevated SCL-90/R scores, particularly in hostility, anxiety, and depression. Maternal anxiety exacerbated interactional conflict during feeding. Furthermore, in the SU group, higher paternal psychoticism predicted lower-quality feeding interactions (as indicated by three SVIA subscales) but only when combined with higher levels of children’s Negative Emotionality. Conclusions: This study highlights the significant challenges faced by substance-using fathers in maintaining high-quality feeding interactions, emphasizing the detrimental impact of paternal psychopathology, maternal anxiety, and child temperament on caregiving dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition)

Other

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38 pages, 1667 KB  
Systematic Review
The CarerQol Instrument: A Systematic Review, Validity Analysis, and Generalization Reliability Study
by Elena Cejalvo, Manuel Martí-Vilar, Júlia Gisbert-Pérez and Laura Badenes-Ribera
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(6), 1916; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14061916 - 12 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1799
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The CarerQol instrument is used to measure the quality of life of informal caregivers and to assess the impact that caring for a dependent person has on them. The scale consists of two parts, CarerQol-7D, which measures the effects of informal [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The CarerQol instrument is used to measure the quality of life of informal caregivers and to assess the impact that caring for a dependent person has on them. The scale consists of two parts, CarerQol-7D, which measures the effects of informal care using two positive and five negative domains, and CarerQol-VAS, which measures happiness on a visual analog scale. Methods: In the present work, we conducted a systematic review of the instrument since its development in 2006, followed by a (convergent, clinical, and discriminative) validity analysis and a meta-analysis of the reliability of generalizing CarerQol. A total of 54 articles that used CarerQol were identified. Results: The instrument was found to have good convergent, clinical, and discriminant validity, although the average reliability coefficient was 0.67 (95% CI [0.56, 0.75]) for Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and 0.62 (95% CI [0.04, 0.89]) for test–retest reliability coefficients, with a high degree of heterogeneity between the coefficients. Conclusions: According to the psychometric theory, CarerQol is a reliable instrument and can be used for exploratory purposes in the field of research, although it should be used with caution when making decisions in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Assessment Measures and Theoretical Models of Caregivers' Sensitivity and Contingency: 2nd Edition)
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