| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | The Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS), developed by Burdock et al. (1960), is a behavioral rating scale consisting of 150 items aimed at measuring the severity of mental illness and evaluating patient response to treatment. It applies to both new admissions and chronic residents in mental hospitals. The scale includes observable behaviors such as facial expressions, grooming, physical status, cooperativeness, communication, speech patterns, interpersonal relations, and affect. The items were selected based on psychopathology literature and consultations with mental health professionals. Nurses and attendants tested item clarity and specificity during the initial trial. For each behavior, raters mark “T” for True if the patient exhibits the behavior, or “NT” for Not True if the behavior is absent. |
| Author | Burdock, E. I., Hardesty, A. S., Hakerem, G., Zubin, J. |
| Purpose | The purpose of the WBRS is to serve as a behavioral rating scale for assessing the severity of illness and as an index to evaluate the response to treatment of mental patients, including both new admissions and long-term residents. |
| Construct | Mental Illness Severity |
| Instrument Type | Rating Scale |
| Reliability | – Interrater Reliability: An intra-class correlation of 0.67 was obtained from a one-way analysis of variance applied to paired ratings on 107 patients at the New York Psychiatric Institute. – Internal Consistency: An internal consistency coefficient of 0.95 was found using Hoyt’s model for a two-way analysis of variance on a sample of 177 protocols from multiple state hospitals. |
| Validity | Criterion Validity: The WBRS demonstrated significant criterion validity, distinguishing a female geriatric patient group treated with drugs from a matched placebo group at the 0.05 significance level. |
| Test Year | 1960 |
| Test Format | Paper-based test |
| Number of Items | 150 |
| Test Methodology | The test includes various assessments on test reliability (interrater, internal consistency) and test validity (criterion). |
| Population Group | Adult males and females with mental health conditions, including both new admissions and chronic residents in mental hospitals. |
| Age Group | Adulthood (18 years & older) |
| Location | United States |
| Keywords | Interrater Reliability, Ward Behavior Rating Scale, Mental Illness Severity, Treatment Response, Internal Consistency, Criterion Validity |
| Classification | 6700 Mental Health/Illness Related Assessment |
| Source Reference | Burdock, E. I., Hardesty, A. S., Hakerem, G., & Zubin, J. (1960). A ward behavior rating scale for mental hospital patients. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 16, 246–247. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(196007)16:3<246::AID-JCLP2270160306>3.0.CO;2-Y |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2026). Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/ward-behavior-rating-scale-wbrs/
Mohammed looti. "Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 4 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/ward-behavior-rating-scale-wbrs/.
Mohammed looti. "Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/ward-behavior-rating-scale-wbrs/.
Mohammed looti (2026) 'Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/ward-behavior-rating-scale-wbrs/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
Mohammed looti. Ward Behavior Rating Scale (WBRS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.