Faculty Articles
The factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale in Alzheimer's disease
Publication Title
Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology
Publisher
Sage Publications
ISSN
0891-9887
Publication Date
10-1-1994
Keywords
Adult, Aged, Alzheimer Disease, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Abstract
The factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is well established with young psychiatric patients. A study by Overall and Beller showed, however, that its factor structure was different with geropsychiatric patients. Although the BPRS has been used in assessing the behavioral characteristics of patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), its factor structure has not been established with these patients. The present study investigated the factor structure of the BPRS among patients with clinically diagnosed AD by (NINCDS/ADRDA) criteria. The scale had limited usefulness with outpatients with mild AD. The factor structure obtained was similar to that found with other patient groups, but a unique factor, including the items Tension and Uncooperativeness, probably reflects the behavioral and psychological agitation characteristic of some AD patients. We recommend caution be taken in generalizing data from younger psychiatric samples to older adult patients with dementia.
Volume
7
Issue
4
First Page
245
Last Page
250
Disciplines
Medical Specialties | Medicine and Health Sciences | Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopathy
NSUWorks Citation
Ownby, Raymond L.; Koss, E; Smyth, K A.; and Whitehouse, P J., "The factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale in Alzheimer's disease" (1994). Faculty Articles. 44.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_com_faculty_articles/44
