Instrument Measures for Behavioral Symptoms in Patients With Dementia

A host of medical and psychiatric conditions contribute to changes in behavior in patients with dementia. Psychiatric problems, such as primary sleep disturbances, depression, substance abuse, mania, sexually inappropriate behaviors, and psychosis, can complicate the care of patients with dementia.

Included here are objective measures that quantify the severity of behavioral problems in patients with dementia. The use of these instruments can facilitate better communication among collaborators.

TIPSHEET: COMMON INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS

■ Neuropsychiatric Inventory

■ Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer Disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD)

■ Pittsburgh Agitation Scale

■ Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory

■ Brief Agitation Rating Scale

■ Overt Aggression Scale

■ Overt Agitation Severity Scale

■ CERAD Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia

■ Caretaker Obsteperous-Behavior Rating Assessment

For more on this topic, see Time for Teamwork: An Overview of the Collaborative Approach for Behavioral Problems in Patients With Dementia, by Amita Patel, MD and Mark Shideler, MD, from which this Tipsheet is adapted.

Also see: Psychiatric Times Clinical Scales