This paper seeks to identify specific problem behaviours related to th
e distress experienced by informal caregivers of dementia victims. Ana
lyses are conducted using a random sample of caregivers rather than a
restricted clinical sample. Distress is measured in terms of both depr
ession and caregiver burden. The findings reveal that specific behavio
urs on the part of the care receiver are strong correlates of the dist
ress experienced by caregivers. In particular, aimlessness, aggressive
behaviours, forgetfulness, and restlessness are correlated with heigh
tened feelings of burden. Apathy or a lack of interest in daily activi
ties is strongly correlated with both feelings of burden and depressio
n. The identification of specific problem behaviours suggests where ef
forts should be placed in order to alleviate the distress experienced
by informal caregivers.