The Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale-II with non-elderly veterans

Abstract

The Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale-II (BDS-II) is a unique test of frontal lobe function. Although the test was created for use in geriatric populations, it can add useful data to assessments of non-elderly patients. The original scoring system for the BDS was characterized by a low ceiling, limiting its use with higher functioning populations. The BDS-II scoring system was created to address this issue; however, new normative data were not published. This study used a non-elderly Veteran sample to compare the psychometric properties of the BDS and BDS-II scoring systems. The BDS-II showed improved psychometric properties (reductions in skewness and kurtosis) and was significantly more reliable than the BDS. Normative data using both the total sample, as well as the subsample of healthy individuals, are provided for clinical use.

Keywords: BDS; BDS-II; Executive functioning; Postdeployment; Reliability; Veteran.