The development of a psychosocial behaviour scale for the assessment of mentally handicapped people

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The development of a new behaviour assessment scale is described. The scale focuses particularly upon disturbed behaviours which may be indicative of an ‘hysterical response tendency’. Factor analysis of the scale yielded a relatively ‘pure’ structure and the sub‐scales generated thereby provide a useful descriptive profile and help to define areas for a more detailed appraisal. Applications of the scale are discussed.

The social and behavioural functioning of people with mental handicaps attending adult training centres: A COMPARISON OF THOSE WITH AND WITHOUT EPILEPSY

“…Available evidence suggests that problematic behaviours may reduce with reduction in anticonvulsant medication (Fischbacher, 1982), although this effect has not been replicated with a sample of people with severe and profound handicaps (Beghi et al, 1987). Consideration of drug effects in the present population comprises a separate report which indicates that polytherapy is a risk factor for behavioural disturbance, independent of seizure frequency (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988).…”

“…Each person was assessed by means of a Psychosocial Behaviour Scale (PBS), developed by the authors (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988). Ratings on the PBS are made on a five-point scale descriptive of both behaviour frequency and intrusiveness.…”

“…(0 = behaviour described by item never occurs, 1 = behaviour occurs infrequently in relatively unproblematic form, 2 = behaviour occurs infrequently in more problematic form, 3 = behaviour occurs frequently in relatively unproblematic form, 4= behaviour occurs frequently in more problematic form.) Factor analysis of the PBS has yielded five factors, namely: physical aggressionseven items; passivity/dominance (bipolar) -eight items; attention seekingseven items; social adaptationldysfunction (bipolar)seven items; and physical handicapfour items (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988). The BPS and its factor sub-scales have demonstrated high levels of internal consistency when subjected to item analysis (range 0.65 to 0.93) (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988).…”

“…Factor analysis of the PBS has yielded five factors, namely: physical aggressionseven items; passivity/dominance (bipolar) -eight items; attention seekingseven items; social adaptationldysfunction (bipolar)seven items; and physical handicapfour items (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988). The BPS and its factor sub-scales have demonstrated high levels of internal consistency when subjected to item analysis (range 0.65 to 0.93) (Espie, Montgomery, and Gillies, 1988). Both total PBS and sub-scale scores are derived, therefore, and the PBS provides a concise, yet comprehensive, profile of behavioural and interpersonal functioning.…”

Antiepileptic polypharmacy, psychosocial behaviour and locus of control orientation among mentally handicapped adults living in the community

“…Psychosocial behaviour. Ratings of client behaviour were made by ATC instructors familiar with the subjects, for which purpose the Psychosocial Behaviour Scale (PBS) (Espie et al, 1988) was used. The PBS is a brief rating scale which indexes the frequency and intrusiveness of problematic behaviours.…”