ABSTRACT
This chapter is comprehensive reference manual providing information on the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS), which is a clinician rating scale, integrating “behavioral observations and objective cognitive testing”. It was specifically designed to measure the severity of delirium symptoms in clinical intervention trials. The MDAS was developed with patients with advanced cancer, with the aim of it being suitable for repeated administration within the same day. A brief history of the instrument's development is provided, along with a description of item content and administration/scoring procedures. Psychometric properties are reviewed and a critical commentary is provided. Key references are cited and in most cases the actual scale is included, giving the reader easy access to the instrument.
