BEI Behaviors and Experiences Inventory by Norman G. Hoffmann, Ph.D. David Mee-Lee, M.D. Gerald D. Shulman, M.A., M.A.C., FACATA

BENEFITS Provides childhood indications of ADHD Documents history of Conduct Disorder behaviors Identifies Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms Covers the history of abuse victimization Identifies persons with aggressive behaviors

The BEI is a structured set of 50 questions designed to elicit information about behaviors and experiences before the age of 15 and after the age of 18. The questions cover reading issues, a history of sexual, physical, and emotional victimization, and indications of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).

APPLICATIONS: The BEI is intended for use in the evaluation of individuals where behavioral problems and a history of victimization may be likely. It was designed for use with individuals who were being evaluated for clinical services after having been arrested or upon release from correctional facilities. It is not a comprehensive assessment for these conditions and experiences, but is intended as a screening tool to alert clinicians to issues in these areas.

ADMINISTRATION: The BEI is intended to be used orally, with the clinician or assistant reading the questions and recording the responses. Before using the BEI as a pencil-and-paper inventory, the clinician would need to be sure that the respondent can read and understand the questions. Dyslexia and other reading difficulties are common among individuals with ADHD and ASPD.

TIME REQUIREMENTS: Most respondents will need 15 to 20 minutes to complete the BEI as a structured interview. Written administration of the BEI may be somewhat shorter if the respondent’s reading skills are good. Scoring can be done within five minutes using the accompanying scoring template.

SCORING AND INTERPRETATION: The BEI can be scored and interpreted in a matter of minutes. A scoring template provides a means of organizing and recording the findings of the BEI so as to facilitate interpretation by a clinician with expertise in the diagnosis of the conditions in question. Other professionals can use the BEI in making referrals when sufficient indications of a problem exist.

STATISTICS: Internal consistency reliabilities for the scales in BEI range from just over .70 to approximately .85. The scale for ADHD has a coefficient of .74 and the six-item subscale for inattention has a coefficient of .72, which is high for such a short scale. The coefficients for conduct disorder and ASPD are .84 and .74 respectively.

COPYRIGHT: The BEI is copyrighted. Photocopying or adapting is a violation of copyright law and constitutes unethical conduct.