Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS)

The term ‘Dysexecutive Syndrome’ (DES) includes disorders of planning, organisation, problem solving and attention. The DES is one of the major areas of cognitive deficit that may impede functional recovery and the ability to respond to rehabilitation programmes. The battery includes a 20-item Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) that samples the range of problems in four broad areas of likely change:

1. Emotional and personality changes.

2. Motivational changes.

3. Behavioural changes.

4. Cognitive changes.

ASSESSMENT SCALES

BADS specifically assesses the skills and demands involved in everyday life. It is sensitive to the capacities affected by frontal lobe damage, emphasising those usually exercised in everyday situations:

• TEMPORAL JUDGEMENT: This testuses four questions to assess clients’ abilities to estimate how long various complete events (such as a dental appointment) last.

• RULE SHIFT CARDS: Evaluates a client’s ability to change an established pattern of responding, using familiar materials. In part 1, a response pattern is established according to a simple rule. In part 2, the rule is changed, and clients have to adapt their responses, inhibiting their original response set.

• ACTION PROGRAM: Assesses client’s practical problem-solving skills.

• KEY SEARCH: Measuring strategy formation, clients are required to demonstrate how they would search a field for lost keys and their strategy is scored according to its functionality.

• ZOO MAP: A test of planning which provides information about the clients’ ability to plan a route to visit six of a possible twelve locations in a zoo. Firstly, in a demanding, open-ended situation where little external structure is provided, and secondly, in a situation that involves simply following a concrete, externally imposed strategy.

• MODIFIED SIX ELEMENTS: Testing planning, task scheduling and performance monitoring, clients are asked to schedule their time to work on six tasks over a ten-minute period.

AREAS OF APPLICATION

The BADS:

• Can be used to specifically assess skills and demands of everyday life.

• Is sensitive to capacities affected by frontal lobe damageand everyday problems experienced due to brain injury.

• Emphasizes capacities usually exercised in everyday situations.

SOUTH AFRICAN RESEARCH

Although South African research and norms are not yet available for the BADS, JVR Psychometrics welcomes the opportunity to partner with clients in conducting research studies in their organisations.