ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comprehensive reference manual providing information on the Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale (BDS), which is an objective, clinician-administered test, which examines one aspect of executive abilities: behavioural self-regulation. The BDS was initially developed for older adults to predict the person’s capacity to independently regulate his or her behaviour. Subsequently it has been used to diagnose dysexecutive disorders. The BDS has been used in large-scale population surveys and neurological groups, including Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, stroke and traumatic brain injury. 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.
