title: Measuring behaviour disorder in mental handicap.
abstract: By use of latent-trait item analysis (the Rasch model), the internal validity of the behaviour section of the MRC-HBS schedule was analysed. The set of behavioural symptoms in this rating scale was found to measure a one-dimensional structure. Thus addition of item scores provides a meaningful index. Such a numerical measure for the degree of behaviour disorder facilitates comparison between different patients or groups, and furthermore, forms the basis for quantitative description of the outcome of therapeutic intervention. A diagnosis of behaviour disorder was established in 17.2% of 302 mentally-handicapped adults. However, some kind of deviant behaviour was found in 41%, and was correlated with origin and degree of retardation, epilepsy, and place of living. The distribution of the symptoms strongly indicates that organic brain damage is a major aetiological cause.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatric Demography, Psychiatric Hospital in Aarhus, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology