Family Needs Questionnaire – FNQ
Measures the self-reported needs of family members and caregivers of individuals who have acquired a brain injury.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Family Needs Questionnaire – FNQ was developed by Jeffrey S. Kreutzer & Jenny H. Marwitz (1989). It is designed to measure Family needs after brain injury. The scale is intended for use with Family caregivers of individuals with brain injury.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 37 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Involvement with Care, Health Information, Professional Support, Instrumental Support, Emotional Support, Community Support Network.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Involvement with Care | 1,2,3,8 | 4 |
| Health Information | 4,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,16 | 9 |
| Professional Support | 5,9,15,17,37 | 5 |
| Instrumental Support | 18,19,20,21 | 4 |
| Emotional Support | 22,23,24,25,26,31,32,33,34,35,36 | 11 |
| Community Support Network | 27,28,29,30 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = No, 1 = Partly, 2 = Yes.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 74. Interpretation guidelines:
- High level of unmet needs: 0 – 24
- Moderate level of unmet needs: 25 – 49
- Low level of unmet needs (mostly met): 50 – 74
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha typically > 0.80 for subscales).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.