Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS)

Description

The BACS was designed to evaluate cognition in schizophrenia. The domains of cognitive function measured by the BACS include: verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, attention, executive functions, and verbal fluency.The BACS was designed to evaluate cognition in schizophrenia. The domains of cognitive function measured by the BACS include: verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, attention, executive functions, and verbal fluency.

Test Features

Administration details

Administration type: Clinician/researcher Approx time: 30-60 minutes

Accessing the assessment and manual information

Access information:
  • Keefe, R. S., Goldberg, T. E., Harvey, P. D., Gold, J. M., Poe, M. P., & Coughenour, L. (2004). The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia: Reliability, sensitivity, and comparison with a standard neurocognitive battery. Schizophrenia Research, 68(2-3), 283-297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2003.09.011

License details

Free to Use?

No.

License details:

Reliability and Validity

Note: Listed publications are for the English version of the assessment only
  • Cholet, J., Sauvaget, A., Vanelle, J. M., Hommet, C., Mondon, K., Mamet, J. P., & Camus, V. (2014). Using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) to assess cognitive impairment in older patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorders, 16(3), 326-336. https://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12171
  • Hill, S. K., Sweeney, J. A., Hamer, R. M., Keefe, R. S., Perkins, D. O., Gu, H., ... & Lieberman, J. A. (2008). Efficiency of the CATIE and BACS neuropsychological batteries in assessing cognitive effects of antipsychotic treatments in schizophrenia. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14(2), 209-221. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617708080570
  • Keefe, R. S., Poe, M., Walker, T. M., & Harvey, P. D. (2006). The relationship of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) to functional capacity and real-world functional outcome. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 28(2), 260-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803390500360539
  • Atkins, A. S., Tseng, T., Vaughan, A., Twamley, E. W., Harvey, P., Patterson, T., ... & Keefe, R. S. (2017). Validation of the tablet-administered Brief Assessment of Cognition (BAC App). Schizophrenia Research, 181, 100-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2016.10.010

Norm information

Healthy control/general population norms:
  • USA - general population: Keefe, R. S., Harvey, P. D., Goldberg, T. E., Gold, J. M., Walker, T. M., Kennel, C., & Hawkins, K. (2008). Norms and standardization of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Schizophrenia Research, 102(1-3), 108-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2008.03.024
  • Italy - general population: Anselmetti, S., Poletti, S., Ermoli, E., Bechi, M., Cappa, S., Venneri, A., ... & Cavallaro, R. (2008). The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Normative data for the Italian population. Neurological Sciences, 29(2), 85-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-0866-9
  • Singapore - English speaking ethnic Chinese adults: Eng, G. K., Lam, M., Bong, Y. L., Subramaniam, M., Bautista, D., Rapisarda, A., ... & Keefe, R. S. (2013). Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia: Normative data in an English-speaking ethnic Chinese sample. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 28(8), 845-858. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/act060

Further information:

Relationship between BACS and functional capacity: Keefe et al. 2006; https://doi.org/10.1080/13803390500360539