Objective:

To evalúate the cognitive behavioral therapy effects on the overburden with the primary eider adults’ caregiver

Materials and methods:

A quasi-experimental study, pre and post intervention, prospective and analytical, unrestricted random sample of 40 caregivers in two groups of 20, one experimental and one controlled. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Zarit Test were used. Statistical tests U of Mann Whitney and T-test were used.

Results:

The caregiver profile was described as a woman, housewife, with an average age of 49, of a traditional and composite extended family, 100 % presented severe overburden in the pretest, after the intervention with cognitive-behavioral therapy the overburden reduced to a slight 25 % and a 5 % to a non overburden, with a statistical significance (p = .000) in the dimensions of care impact and interpersonal relationship, however in self- efficacy there was no such effect.

Conclusions:

cognitive behavioral therapy had positive effects on the reduction of primary caregiver overburden and its dimensions; the characterization of the primary caregiver coincided with those offered by different authors around the world, making him a caregiver with detectable characteristics; Almost half of the caregivers were single caregivers, and family problems caused the family members to move away from the elderly; The caregiver said he could do more for the patient, however he does not know how. Overburden detection strategies can be developed in the primary caregiver from the first level of care, improving the quality of life for both the caregiver and the older adult.