The relationship between two scales measuring aggressive behavior among continuing-care psychogeriatric inpatients

Aggressive behavior among the elderly is a neglected area of research. An 18-week prospective study of aggressive behavior on a continuing-care psychogeriatric ward provided data to examine the relationship between two aggression scales (SOAS and RAGE). There was a strong and significant correlation between the SOAS and RAGE scales for the total and the subscale scores. Both these scales appear useful in measuring aggressive behavior among continuing-care psychogeriatric inpatients. Also, the nursing staff can be trained to complete these scales effectively.