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Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BAS, BARS)
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Back to Psychiatric Assessment Tools
Barnes TRE. A rating scale for drug-induced akathisia. Br J Psychiatry. 1989;154:672-676.
Appropriate for: Patients suspected of experiencing drug-induced akathisia
Administered by: Physicians
Time to complete: 10-15 minutes
Summary of Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale:
The Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale is a four-item scale to assess the presence and severity of drug-induced akathisia. It is the most widely used comprehensive rating scale for akathisia, including both objective items (eg observed restlessness) and subjective items (eg patient's awareness of restlessness and related distress), together with a global clinical assessment of akathisia.
Global assessment is made on a scale of 0 to 5 with comprehensive definitions provided for each anchor point on scale: 0=absent; 1=questionable; 2=mild akathisia; 3=moderate akathisia; 4=marked akathisia; 5=severe akathisia.
Benefits of the BAS/BARS:
- Depth of guidance - This assessment tool provides guidance on examination procedures in addition to the rating scale.
- Quick - Easily accommodated within outpatient appointment.
- Scale of assessment - This tool assesses stress caused to the patient by specific symptom, not just symptom itself, rating it globally using a severity scale.
- Definitions and instructions for examinations are easy to understand and severity points are well anchored and clinically relevant.
- Scale has been proven to have strong face validity and practicality.
Challenges of the BAS/BARS:
The Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale only returns one result, even though it assesses many items.
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