In this quiz, clips from an Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) exam will depict a real patient’s tardive dyskinesia (TD) symptoms. As the video plays, there will be an AIMS score sheet to fill out to practice scoring the severity of symptoms in each body region.
Upon completion, expert ratings and commentary will be available to view.
As the video plays, complete the first 7 questions on the AIMS score sheet. After submission, the quiz will automatically generate a value for the AIMS total dyskinesia score, which is the sum of items 1 through 7. After completion of the score sheet, ratings from others who have completed the quiz will be visible for comparison, along with ratings and commentary from tardive dyskinesia experts. Remember that there is no “right” answer, but rather clinicians should strive to be as consistent as possible between patients and across clinical encounters.
The AIMS is a 12-item, clinician-rated scale used to assess symptom severity in patients with TD.1 In this quiz, only items 1 through 7 will be scored, which rate the severity of TD in various body regions on a scale from 0 (none) to 4 (severe). The body regions assessed by items 1 through 7 of the AIMS include: facial and oral movements, extremity movements, and trunk movements, and the remaining items of the exam include global judgments related to severity, incapacitation, and patient awareness of these movements.1 Experts agree that no specific score threshold suggests the need for intervention; instead, clinicians should consider the impact of the TD movements on the individual patient.2 The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline recommends treatment for moderate to severe or disabling TD, and states that treatment for mild TD can be considered on the basis of factors like patient preference, associated impairment, or effect on psychosocial functioning.2 Click here for more information.