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“This tool fills a huge void in current psychological assessment practices—finally, we have a psychometrically sound, norm-referenced instrument to measure functional impairment in adults. The BFIS is conceptually sound, empirically derived, ecologically valid, highly reliable, and clinically useful. The ease of administration and interpretation is a major plus. This scale is a great asset for assessment of patients in any clinical or mental health setting. Kudos to Dr. Barkley for responding so keenly to a pressing need in our field.”

—Lawrence Lewandowski, PhD, Department of Psychology, Syracuse University


“Clinicians and scholars agree that functional impairment is critical to the diagnosis of psychological disorders, as well as a major focus of intervention. But most measures of impairment lack evidence of psychometric quality. In contrast, the BFIS has impressive normative data and reliability and validity evidence. With this scale, clinicians can make confident judgments about how impaired a client is relative to the general population, leading to more informed decisions about prioritizing treatment goals. Graduate students taking courses in clinical assessment or rehabilitation counseling could learn much from the conceptual background and empirical data that Barkley offers. And clinical researchers now have a new tool to accurately quantify impairment when conducting studies with a range of populations. The BFIS helps to solve the long-standing problem of measuring how well someone functions in everyday life.”

—Benjamin J. Lovett, PhD, Department of Psychology, Elmira College

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The BFIS is based on more than 16 years of research by the developer using prototypes of the The large normative sample (N>1,200) is representative of the U.S. population in terms of region, socioeconomic status, education, ethnicity/race, and gender, based on the 2000 US Census. Scoring sheets present norms for three age groups of adults (18–39, 40–59, and 60–89 years Factor analysis of the scale reveals a single factor reflecting impairment on which all 15 of the domain ratings load

Reliability
Reliability of the scores is quite satisfactory as evidenced by high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of .97 for long form, .92 for the Quick Screen); good interobserver agreement (.67 to .70 across scales); and high test–retest reliability over a 2–3 week interval (.72 for the total impairment score and .71 for the Quick Screen).

Validity
Validity of the scale scores was evident in numerous correlations of the scale scores with measures of ADHD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and general psychopathology; and in correlations, regression analyses, and group comparisons concerning disorder discrimination and concurrent with various measures of functional impairment in major life activities (associated risks in executive functioning, educational history, occupational functioning, social relationships, marriage, driving, financial management, crime and drug use, parenting stress, and offspring psychopathology, among other domains).

More extensive technical information is provided in the manual.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Psychosocial Impairment: Definition and Assessment

2. Development of the BFIS: History, Survey Methods, and Normative Sample

3. Factor Analysis, Score Construction, and Item Frequencies

4. Relationship of the BFIS Scores to Demographic Factors in the Normative Sample

5. Reliability

6. Validity

7. Scoring and Interpretation of the BFIS Forms

Appendix: BFIS Forms and Score Sheets

· BFIS-LF: Self-Report

· BFIS Quick Screen: Self-Report

· BFIS-LF: Other-Report

· BFIS Quick Screen: Other-Report

· BFIS Impairment Interview

· BFIS-LF: Self-Report Score Sheet for Raw Scores (Ages 18–39)

· BFIS-LF: Self-Report Score Sheet for Raw Scores (Ages 40–59)

· BFIS-LF: Self-Report Score Sheet for Raw Scores (Ages 60–89)

· BFIS Quick Screen: Self-Report Score Sheet for Raw Scores (All Ages)

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About the Author

Russell A. Barkley, PhD, ABPP, ABCN, before retiring in 2021, served on the faculties of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the Medical University of South Carolina, and Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Barkley has worked with children, adolescents, and families since the 1970s and is the author of numerous bestselling books for both professionals and the public, including Taking Charge of ADHD and Your Defiant Child. He has also published six assessment scales and more than 300 scientific articles and book chapters on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, executive functioning, and childhood defiance. A frequent conference presenter and speaker who is widely cited in the national media, Dr. Barkley is past president of the Section on Clinical Child Psychology (the former Division 12) of the American Psychological Association (APA), and of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. He is a recipient of awards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the APA, among other honors. His website is www.russellbarkley.org.

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Audience

Clinical and forensic psychologists; neuropsychologists; social workers; psychiatrists; psychopathology researchers.

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Special package offer: Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale—IV (BAARS-IV) measures current and recollected ADHD symptoms; the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS for Adults) assesses clinically significant executive functioning difficulties; and the Barkley Functional Impairment Scale (BFIS for Adults) evaluates 15 major domains of psychosocial functioning.

Order all 3 items for $435.95, instead of $585.00 if bought separately!

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