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). 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$ 150.00 for the permission to reproduce 50 copies from the electronic prototype, or U$ 300.00 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

Download PDF copies of the instrument

Relevant BPI-S Publications

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.