Introduction to the Agitated Behavior Scale

The Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS) was developed to assess the nature and extent of agitation during the acute phase of recovery from acquired brain injury. Its primary purpose is to allow serial assessment of agitation by treatment professionals who want objective feedback about the course of a patient's agitation. Serial assessments are particularly important when treatment interventions are being attempted. This instrument may be useful with populations other than patients recovering from acquired brain injury. Tabloski, McKinnon-Howe, and Remington (1995) and Corrigan, Bogner, and Tabloski (1996) demonstrated the utility of the ABS for measuring agitation in nursing home residents with progressive dementias, primarily Alzheimer's disease.

Information regarding the ABS was contributed by the Ohio Regional TBI Model System. Please contact Jennifer Bogner, Ph.D. at for more information.

If you find the information in the COMBI useful, please mention it when citing sources of information. The information on the Agitated Behavior Scale may be cited as:

Bogner, J. (2000). The Agitated Behavior Scale. The Center for Outcome Measurement in Brain Injury. http://www.tbims.org/combi/abs ( accessed ).