How the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS) Is Used

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsManic and Bipolar EpisodesUsing the BSDSBenefitsLimitations of the BSDS

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Manic and Bipolar Episodes

Using the BSDS

Benefits

Limitations of the BSDS

Close

Researchers have begun to viewbipolar disorderas a spectrum, with varying intensity in moods and symptoms. Ronald Pies, MD, professor of psychiatry and SUNY Upstate Medical University and Tufts University, developed the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS). It’s used as a means to assess severe cases of bipolar disorder, and to recognize those who have milder cases.

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that can manifest differently from individual to individual. It is classified into the following:

TheDSM-5-TRalso recognizes three othertypes of bipolar disorder: cyclothymic disorder, other specified bipolar and related disorder, and unspecified bipolar and related disorder.

Bipolar disorder affects about 1% of the worldwide population, irrespective of socioeconomic status, nationality, or ethnicity, and remains a significant cause of disability among the younger population.Scientific data has found the condition to be highly heritable.

Before diving into the scale and its applications, it’s important to understand the two major features of bipolar disorder– manic and depressive episodes.

Understanding Autism and Bipolar Disorder

Manic episodes last for at least one week. During this time, individuals will exhibit three or more of the following, according to the DSM-5-TR:

A major depressive episode entails five (or more) of the following symptoms, lasting two weeks or longer, according to the DSM-5-TR:

Given these symptoms, bipolar disorder can have a marked impact on all aspects of a person’s life, including their professional life, academics, relationships, and general health.

The BSDS aims to capture the nuances that are often missed in diagnosing bipolar disorder.

It is written as a series of statements, such as “Some individuals notice that their mood and/or energy levels shift drastically from time to time. These individuals notice that, at times, their mood and/or energy level is very low, and at other times, very high.”

Participants are then asked to indicate one of the following:

After this, participants are to place a check next to each item in the first series of statements that describes them.

Finally, individuals will tally up 1 point for every checked statement. For “fits me very well,” participants receive 6 points, for “fits me fairly well,” they receive 4, and for “fits me to some degree,” they receive 2.

The scores range from 0-25 points. At 0-6 points, a bipolar disorder is highly unlikely; at 7-12 points, there is a low probability of bipolar disorder; scoring between 13-19 indicates likely probability; and 20-25 points indicates a high probability.

Scale items used with permission ofDr. Nassir Ghaemi

It’s important to note that, though the scale can help individuals determine where they fall on the spectrum, it can’t confirm a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Only a mental health professional can diagnose bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder remains an under-recognized mental health condition. Individuals often have to wait 5-10 years prior to receiving a diagnosis, and one study found that over 76% of participants with bipolar disorder were misdiagnosed.

Cross-cultural studies have also looked into the BSDS’reliabilityandvalidity. One study with Persian participants found it to be a valid and reliable measure of assessing bipolar spectrum disorders in a hospital setting.

Dr. Howard PrattatCommunity Health of South Florida, Inc.sheds light on potential drawbacks of the BSDS. “People don’t have the ability to accurately diagnose themselves because of inherent biases.”

He states, “As a professional trained to understand what many of the scale’s questions are probing for, there remain too many grey areas in those questions and the possible answers to make me fully comfortable with its use. It is in fact, better for diagnosing bipolar one disorder than bipolar two."

—DR. HOWARD PRATT

Summary

Bipolar disorder can be a difficult condition to diagnose, and an even more challenging condition to live with. However, diagnostic tools like the BSDS are making it easier for mental health professionals to assess, and for individuals to receive proper treatment.

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rowland TA, Marwaha S.Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018 Apr 26;8(9):251-269. doi: 10.1177/2045125318769235.Harrison PJ, Geddes JR, Tunbridge EM.The Emerging Neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder. Trends Neurosci. 2018 Jan;41(1):18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.006.Shen H, Zhang L, Xu C, Zhu J, Chen M, Fang Y.Analysis of Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in An Outpatient Setting. Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 25;30(2):93-101. doi: 10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.217080Shabani A, Mirzaei Khoshalani M, Mahdavi S, Ahmadzad-Asl M.Screening bipolar disorders in a general hospital: Psychometric findings for the Persian version of mood disorder questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2019 May 28;33:48. doi: 10.34171/mjiri.33.48.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rowland TA, Marwaha S.Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018 Apr 26;8(9):251-269. doi: 10.1177/2045125318769235.Harrison PJ, Geddes JR, Tunbridge EM.The Emerging Neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder. Trends Neurosci. 2018 Jan;41(1):18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.006.Shen H, Zhang L, Xu C, Zhu J, Chen M, Fang Y.Analysis of Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in An Outpatient Setting. Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 25;30(2):93-101. doi: 10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.217080Shabani A, Mirzaei Khoshalani M, Mahdavi S, Ahmadzad-Asl M.Screening bipolar disorders in a general hospital: Psychometric findings for the Persian version of mood disorder questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2019 May 28;33:48. doi: 10.34171/mjiri.33.48.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Rowland TA, Marwaha S.Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018 Apr 26;8(9):251-269. doi: 10.1177/2045125318769235.Harrison PJ, Geddes JR, Tunbridge EM.The Emerging Neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder. Trends Neurosci. 2018 Jan;41(1):18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.006.Shen H, Zhang L, Xu C, Zhu J, Chen M, Fang Y.Analysis of Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in An Outpatient Setting. Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 25;30(2):93-101. doi: 10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.217080Shabani A, Mirzaei Khoshalani M, Mahdavi S, Ahmadzad-Asl M.Screening bipolar disorders in a general hospital: Psychometric findings for the Persian version of mood disorder questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2019 May 28;33:48. doi: 10.34171/mjiri.33.48.

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.

Rowland TA, Marwaha S.Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018 Apr 26;8(9):251-269. doi: 10.1177/2045125318769235.

Harrison PJ, Geddes JR, Tunbridge EM.The Emerging Neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder. Trends Neurosci. 2018 Jan;41(1):18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.006.

Shen H, Zhang L, Xu C, Zhu J, Chen M, Fang Y.Analysis of Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in An Outpatient Setting. Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 25;30(2):93-101. doi: 10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.217080

Shabani A, Mirzaei Khoshalani M, Mahdavi S, Ahmadzad-Asl M.Screening bipolar disorders in a general hospital: Psychometric findings for the Persian version of mood disorder questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2019 May 28;33:48. doi: 10.34171/mjiri.33.48.

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