Rating scales for mania: is self-rating reliable?

This commentary addresses the issue of whether self-rating mania scales are reliable. After a brief introduction, several newly developed self-rating mania scales are described and critically reviewed. Among the issues discussed are: the practical utility of self-assessment in patients with mania; the influence of severity of illness on ability to self-report; and, the extent to which the presence of psychosis or the absence of insight significantly interferes with a patients' ability to reliably complete self-rating measures. Data from recent studies suggests that self-rating mania scales are both reliable and valid for patients with manic symptoms, including those with psychotic features and those having little or no insight into their illness. The merits of including self-rating measures in the assessment of mania are discussed in terms of their value for both clinical and research purposes.