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Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS)
Availability
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Classification
Supplemental: Mitochondrial Diseases (Mito) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Short Description of Instrument
The Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS), was developed to assess four types of aggressive behavior: verbal aggression, aggression against property, auto aggression, physical aggression. The MOAS instructs the individual to rate the patient's aggressive behaviors over the past week.
The MOAS is individually administered. It is generally administered by nursing staff although no specific qualifications are required.
Rationale/Justification
Strengths/Weaknesses: This is a widely used measure that has been validated for use in both children and adults. It has been used as an outcome measure in a variety of intervention studies and as such is sensitive to change over short intervals. With the broad age range, is also useful as an instrument for longitudinal follow-up.
Specific to Mitochondrial Disease:
Advantages: The MOAS has been used in acute care psychiatric settings, making it a useful tool with new onset or acute exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms as may be observed in indivduals experiencing a flare of symptoms in mitochondrial disorder.
Limitations: The instrument has not been specifically utilized in this population and its psychometric properties for this group are therefore unknown.
Scoring
Items are scored on a 5-point scale. Scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating more aggression.
References
Kay S, Wolkenfeld F, and Murrill L. Profiles of aggression among psychiatric patients. I. Nature and prevalence. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1988; 176(9), 539-546.
 
Yudofsky S, Silver J, Jackson W, Endicott J, and Williams D. The Overt Aggression Scale for the objective rating of verbal and physical aggression. Am J Psychiatry. 1986; 143(1), 35-39.
 
Chukwujekwu DC & Stanley P.The Modified Overt Aggression Scale: how valid in this environment?. Niger J Med. 2008; 17(2):153-5
 

 

Document last updated June 2019