The Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI) is an informant-based behavior rating instrument to assess maladaptive behaviors in persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for young children to adults. The BPI measures in some detail the frequency of occurrence and the seriousness of three common types of troublesome behaviors: self-injurious behavior, stereotyped behavior, and aggressive/destructive behavior.

Two versions of the BPI exist in several languages:

  • the original, longer version with 52 items (BPI-01),
  • and a shorter one with 30 items (BPI-S).

Evidence has shown that data obtained by the BPI-01 and the BPI-S correlated very highly with one another. Therefore, it is up to the user to make a choice of preference (e.g., length vs. detail).

Note: The scoring instructions specify that behaviors should be recorded that have occurred "during the past two months." This time-interval was chosen for one-time assessments such as is common in survey research. However, if the BPI is used repeatedly for the same client with shorter than two-months inter-assessment periods, adjust that interval accordingly.

The author holds the copyright to the BPI.

Conditions for using the BPI

The BPI may be used free of charge for personal, unfunded research, and for other non-for-profit purposes.

Clinics, schools, individual investigators with funded research and other entities who wish to use the BPI on a routine basis will be charged either U$ 200.00 for the permission to reproduce 50 copies from the electronic prototype, or U$ 400.00 for an unlimited number of copies.

For questions, please contact Johannes Rojahn (E-mail: jrojahn@gmu.edu; Address: 3 Ridge Road, Beaufort, SC 29907, USA.)

See “About You”

Those who decide to use the BPI, please provide some information about yourself, your professional affiliation, and a brief description of the activity for which you intend to use the BPI (in the space provided).

References

If you publish information about the BPI, the preferred reference for the BPI-01 is:

  • Rojahn, J., Matson, J. L., Lott, D., Esbensen, A. J., & Smalls, Y. (2001). The Behavior Problems Inventory: An instrument for the assessment of self-injury, stereotyped behavior and aggression/destruction in individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 577 – 588.

The preferred references for the BPI-S are:

  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012a). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for individuals with intellectual disabilities I: development and provisional clinical reference data. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 527–545.
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012b). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for individuals with intellectual disabilities II: Reliability and Validity. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 56, 546–565.

Download PDF copies of the instrument

Relevant BPI-01 Publications
  • Aman, M. G., DeSmedt, G., Derivan, A., Lyons, B., Findling, R. L. & The Risperidone Conduct Study Group (2002). Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of risperidone for the treatment of disruptive behaviors in children with sub-average intelligence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 1337-1346.
  • Collins, M. S., & Cornish, K. (2002). A survey of the prevalence of stereotypy, self-injury and aggression in children and young adults with Cri du Chat syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46, 133-140.
  • Csorba, J., Radvanyi, K., Regenyi, E., & Dinya, E. (2011). A study of behavior profiles among intellectually disabled people in residential care in Hungary. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 1757-1763.
  • Courtemanche, A. B.; Black, W. R.; Reese, R. M. (2016). The relationship between pain, self- injury, and other problem behaviors in young children with autism and other developmental disabilities. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 21, 194-203.
  • Dinya, E., Csorba, J., Suli, A., & Grosz, Z. (2012). Behaviour profile of Hungarian adolescent outpatients with a dual diagnosis. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 1574–1580.
  • Gashool, M., Qasemi, S., Karami, B., Alizadeh, H., Arkan, A., & Fooladgar, M. (2015). Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the Behavior Problems Inventory in Iranian Elementary Students with Intellectual Disability. Practice in Clinical Psychology, 3, 251-257.
  • González, M. L., Dixon, D. R., Rojahn, J., Esbensen, A. J., Matson, J. L., Terlonge, C., & Smith, K. R. (2009). The Behavior Problems Inventory: reliability and factor validity in institutionalized adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 22, 223-235.
  • Hayden, C. & Stevens, M. (2004). Identifying the extent of challenging behavior in adult learning disability services. British Journal of Social Work, 34, 811-829.
  • Hill, J., Powlitch, S., & Furniss, F. (2008). Convergent validity of the aberrant behavior checklist and behavior problems inventory with people with complex needs. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 29, 45-60.
  • Lecavalier, L. & Aman, M. G. (2004). Rating Instruments. In: J. L. Matson, Laud, R. B., & M. L. Matson (Eds.), Behavior modification for persons with developmental disabilities: Treatments and supports. Kingston, NY: National Association for the Dually Diagnosed.
  • Lundqvist L.-O., Andersson, G., & Viding, J. (2009). Effects of vibroacoustic music on challenging behaviors in individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 390–400.
  • Mansell, J., Beadle-Brown, J., Macdonald, S., & Ashman, B. (2003). Functional grouping in residential homes for people with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 24, 170-182.
  • Mansell, J., Ashman, B., Macdonald, S., & Beadle-Brown, J. (2002). Residential care in the community for adults with intellectual disability: needs, characteristics and services. Journal of Intellectual Disability research, 46, 625-633.
  • Mircea, C. E., Rojahn, J., & Esbensen, A. J. (2010). Psychometric Evaluation of Romanian translations of the Behavior Problems Inventory-01 and the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 3, 51-65.
  • Morris, J., Bush, A., & Joyce, T. (2014). Outcome Measures for Challenging Behaviour Interventions. The British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology, Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities. INF228/2014.
  • Owen, D. M., Hastings, R. P., Noone, S. J., Chinn, J., Harman, K., Roberts, J., & Taylor, K. (2004). Life events as correlates of problem behavior and mental health in a residential population of adults with developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 25, 309-320.
  • Poppes, P., van der Putten, A. J. J., & Vlaskamp, C. (2010). Frequency and severity of challenging behavior in people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31, 1269-1275.
  • Rojahn, J., Aman, M. G., Matson, J. L., & Mayville, E. (2003). The Aberrant Behavior Checklist and the Behavior Problems Inventory: Convergent and divergent validity. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 24, 391-404.
  • Rojahn, J., Matson, J. L., Lott, D., Esbensen, A. J., & Smalls, Y. (2001). The Behavior Problems Inventory: An instrument for the assessment of self-injury, stereotyped behavior and aggression/destruction in individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 577 – 588.
  • Rojahn, J., Matson, J. L., Naglieri, J. A. & Mayville, E. (2004). Relationships between psychiatric conditions and behavior problems among adults with mental retardation. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 109, 21-33.
  • Rojahn, J., Wilkins, J., Matson, J. L., & Boisjoli, J. (2010). A Comparison of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities with and without ASD on Parallel Measures of Challenging Behaviour: The Behavior Problems Inventory-01 (BPI-01) and Autism Spectrum Disorders-Behavior Problems for Intellectually Disabled Adults (ASD-BPA). Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 23, 179–185.
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Macken, J., Gray, A., Delitta, D., Booth, A., & Kimbrell, K. (2010). Psychometric Evaluation of the Behavior Problems Inventory-01 and the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form with Children and Adolescents. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 3, 28-50.
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities I: Development and Provisional Clinical Reference Data. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 527–545.
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities II: Reliability and Validity. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 56, 546–565.
  • Snyder, R., Turgay, A., Aman, M., Binder, C., Fisman, S., Carroll, A., & The Risperidone Conduct Study Group (2002). Effects of Risperidone on conduct and disruptive behavior disorders in children with subaverage IQs. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41, 1026-1036.
  • Symons, F. J., Sutton, K. A., Walker, C., & Bodfish, J. W. (2003). Altered diurnal pattern of salivary substance P in adults with developmental disabilities and chronic self-injury. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 108, 13-18.
  • Thorson, R.T., Matson, J.L., Rojahn, J., & Dixon, D.R. (2008). Behavior problems exhibited in institutionalized persons with intellectual disabilities and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 33, 316-322.
  • van Ingen, D. J., Moore, L. L., Zaja, R. H., & Rojahn, J. (2010). The Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01) in Community-Based Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Reliability and Concurrent Validity vis-à-vis the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP). Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31, 98-107.
  • Lundqvist, L.-O. (2011). Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01) in a community population of adults with intellectual disability. Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32, 2295-2303.

Download PDF copies of the instrument

Relevant BPI-S Publications
  • Bernstein, A. M.; Visconti, K. J.; Csorba, J.; Radvanyi, K.; Rojahn, J. (2015). The relationship between challenging behaviours, mood and interest/pleasure in adults with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 59, 1033-1041. http://dx.doi.org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1111/jir.12202
  • Mascitelli, A. N.; Rojahn, J., Nicolaides, V. C., Moore, L., Hastings, R. P., Christian‐Jones, C. (2015). The Behaviour Problems Inventory-Short Form: Reliability and factorial validity in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 28, 561-571. http://dx.doi.org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1111/jar.12152
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities I: Development and Provisional Clinical Reference Data. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 527–545.
  • Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities II: Reliability and Validity. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 56, 546–565.

Scoring

Scoring instructions are provided within every BPI data form.


Interpretation of Scores

The clinical significance of BPI total scores for each domain and scale (SIB, Aggression- Destruction, Stereotyped Behavior) must be considered individually. The two BPI versions have no norms or cut-off scores for clinical significance because:

  1. Self-injurious behavior and aggressive-destructive behaviors especially but also stereotypic behaviors are clinical concerns per se, no matter how mild or rare they happen to be. Hence, norms and cut-off points seem clinically non-relevant.

  2. Having the same total score does not necessarily represent the same degree of clinical concern. Consider two individuals each with a total score of 3 on the “Severity of the Problem” scales. It is likely that a severity score of 3 for “Self-biting” for one person represents a much higher concern than a person who receives a score of 1 for three behaviors (e.g., Body-hitting, Hair pulling, and Pica).

  3. Most of these behaviors are relatively rare in any given population. Accordingly, group data are very skewed (i.e., not normally distributed). Therefore, using norms for a particular person can be quite misleading.

Instead of norms we published what we referred to as “clinical reference data” in

Rojahn, J., Rowe, E. W., Sharber, A. C., Hastings, R. P., Matson, J. L., Didden, R., Kroes, D. B. H., & Dumont, E. L. M. (2012). The Behavior Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities I: Development and Provisional Clinical Reference Data. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56, 527–545.

Note: Only those behaviors should be rated that have occurred "during the past two months." This time-interval was chosen e.g., for survey research. However, if the BPI is used repeatedly with shorter periods between assessments, adjust that interval accordingly.

If you decide to use the BPI, please provide some information about you and the activity for which you intend to use the BPI here.

Dr. Johannes Rojahn is a Full Professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology of George Mason University. His primary research focuses on intellectual/developmental disabilities (including Autism Spectrum Disorders), especially the areas of challenging behaviors and other forms of mental and behavioral disorders (dual diagnosis). He has earned his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Vienna (Austria). Following a post-doctoral Fulbright-Hayes research fellowship at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), and prior to his tenure at George Mason University he taught at the University of Marburg (Germany, Department of Psychology), the University of Pittsburgh (Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic), The Ohio State University (Nisonger Center for Developmental Disabilities and Department of Psychology). Dr. Rojahn has published well over 150 scientific articles and book chapters and four scientific books.

For a complete curriculum vitae click here.

© 2022. All rights reserved. Webmaster