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DSS: Delirium Severity Scale

1998

A 10-minute, two-component cognitive measure developed to track delirium severity in older general-hospital inpatients without dementia. It is a severity measure, not a delirium detection test.

Classification

Classification

Measurement of delirium severity

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Tool and original sources

This record describes a method rather than a downloadable bedside form. The main source is linked below.

Original paper

  • Original paperBettin KM, Maletta GJ, Dysken MW, Jilk KM, Weldon DT, Kuskowski M, et al. Measuring delirium severity in older general hospital inpatients without dementia. The Delirium Severity Scale. The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. 1998;6(4):296-307. PMID: 9793578.

    This is the original published source for DSS. It is the main source for the method, its intended use and the evidence available at publication.

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No eligible DTA study identifiedCore instrument family

At a glance

Purpose
Measurement of delirium severity
Population
Adult
Setting
General / acute hospital
Time
10 min
Items
2

Format: A 10-minute severity assessment consisting of Forward Digit Span and Similarities. It is intended to quantify change in delirium severity, not to establish the diagnosis.

  • Strengths: Correlated with expert severity ratings and changed with clinical improvement
  • Limitations: Small original sample; excluded dementia; not a delirium detection test

Evidence

Evidence maturityNo eligible DTA study identified

Reported metric context

10-minute severity measure (Forward Digit Span + Similarities); tracked expert severity ratings over time (n=22 delirium, 15 controls).

More evidence and citation details
Full name
Delirium Severity Scale
Also known as
DSS
Evidence summary
psychometric-validation
Citation
Bettin KM, Maletta GJ, Dysken MW, Jilk KM, Weldon DT, Kuskowski M, Mach JR Jr Measuring delirium severity in older general hospital inpatients without dementia. The Delirium Severity Scale The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. 1998;6(4):296-307. PMID 9793578
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Copyright and reuse
Information checked
2026-07-19

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Sources checked 2026-07-29. How profiles are prepared.