Psychometric properties of the Dyskinesia Identification System: Condensed User Scale (DISCUS)

Individuals with developmental disability (N = 400) were assessed with the Dyskinesia Identification System: Condensed User Scale (DISCUS), a 15-item tardive dyskinesia rating scale shortened from the 34-item Dyskinesia Identification System-Coldwater (DIS-Co). Interrater reliability assessments were made for 148 individuals, and 2-week stability (test-retest) assessments were made for 128 individuals. Mean DISCUS total score was 4.1 (SD = 3.5); reliability was .92, p less than .001, and stability was .40, p less than .001. Based upon this study and a larger study of 4,649 individuals with developmental disability, we recommend that clinicians carefully evaluate for tardive dyskinesia any individuals with developmental disability who have been prescribed antipsychotics for greater than 3 months and who score 6 or above on the DISCUS.