The Young Mania Rating Scale (abbreviated YMRS) is an eleven-item, multiple-choice diagnostic questionnaire which psychiatrists use to measure the severity of manic episodes in patients. It was first published in 1978.[1]
The scale was originally developed for use in the evaluation of adult patients who were suffering from bipolar disorder, but has since been modified for use in pediatric patients. A similar scale was then developed to allow clinicians to interview parents about their children's symptoms, in order to ascertain a better diagnosis of mania in children. Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the parent version of the scale.[2]