Several patient status variables have been associated with caregiver burden. A study was conducted to examine relationships between caregiver burden; patient variables of cognitive status, depression, and physical status; and caregiver perceptions of disruptive behavior and discrepancies between patient abilities and behaviors. Subjects were elderly psychiatric patients (N=46) referred to a geriatric assessment unit and their caregivers (N=46). Patients completed measures of cognitive status, depression, and self-reported ability to perform basic activities of daily living (walking, eating) and instrumental activities of daily living (doing laundry, talking on the telephone). Caregivers completed measures of patient disruptive behavior, caregiver distress, and caregiver burden. The results revealed that significant predictors of caregiver burden were patient disruptive behavior, patient activities of daily living limitation, patient memory or orientation, and caregiver distress. These results, along with results from previous studies, suggest that predictors of caregiver burden vary with the elderly patients' diagnoses. A three-page reference list and four data tables conclude the document. (NB)