Validation of the Chinese Challenging Behaviour Scale: clinical correlates of challenging behaviours in nursing home residents with dementia.

BACKGROUND: Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are associated with considerable burden to patients with dementia and their caregivers. Formal caregivers in residential care settings face different challenges when delivering care.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at assessing the clinical correlates of challenging BPSD using the Chinese version of the Challenging Behaviour Scale (CCBS) designed for residential care settings.

METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five participants were recruited from three care-and-attention homes in Hong Kong. The CCBS was administered together with the Cantonese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) to explore the relationships between challenging behaviour and important clinical correlates.

RESULTS: The CCBS had good internal consistency (alpha = 0.86), inter-rater (ICC = 0.79) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.98). A four-factor structure is demonstrated by factor analysis: hyperactivity behaviours, hypoactivity behaviours, verbally aggressive and aberrant behaviours. Challenging behaviours were associated with male gender, cognitive impairment, functional disability, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and higher caregiver's workload.

CONCLUSIONS: The CCBS is a valid and reliable measure to assess BPSD in residential care settings in local Chinese community. It is useful in evaluating the challenges faced by formal caregivers during daily care of the dementia patients.