Addressing Dementia Via Agitation-Centered Evaluation

Change in CMAI Total Score

The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) is a 29-item caregiver-rated questionnaire that assesses the frequency of agitation-related and disruptive behaviors in subjects with dementia. The scale contains 29 behaviors or items organized into four subscales: physically aggressive, physically non-aggressive, verbally aggressive, and verbally non-aggressive. The CMAI is administered by interviewing the caregiver and asking him or her to rate the frequency with which the subject manifests each behavior using a seven-point scale: 1=never (better outcome), 7=several times an hour (worse outcome). The CMAI total score is the sum of the scores for all of the items in the CMAI. CMAI total scores range from a minimum of 29 (better outcome) to a maximum of 203 (worse outcome).

Time frame: 5 weeks