Assessment of Behavior Problems in Pediatric Inpatient Settings: Development of the Pediatric Inpatient Behavior Scale

The psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Pediatric Inpatient Behavior Scale (PIBS) were investigated in samples of hospitalized, physically ill children. First, 143 nurses rated the behavior of 21 1 hospitalized children using the PIBS. Factor analysis yielded 10 subscales, and subscale scores differed based on physical diagnosis and risk of mortality. The PIBS was then administered to 45 children referred to pediatric psychology/psychiatry consultation-liaison services. Compared with a matched, nonreferred sample, referred children received higher scores on PIBS subscales measuring noncompliance and conduct problems, with trends for higher scores on anxiety and withdrawal. Results support the utility of the PIBS as a structured method for obtaining nurse ratings of problematic behaviors of medically hospitalized children.