ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comprehensive reference manual providing information on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), which is a clinician rating scale, initially designed for nurses to measure the frequency of a wide range of “agitated-related behaviors, disruptive behaviors, and care-related problems occurring in elderly people with dementia”. J. Cohen-Mansfield et al. stated that items for the CMAI were identified by questioning nursing home staff members and reviewing the literature, but no further information is available regarding the item selection or development process. CMAI psychometric properties as reported in different studies show high internal consistency, good evidence for responsiveness, concurrent and construct validity. 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.
