Hyperkinetic disorders represent a heterogeneous group of conditions in which involuntary movements are the prevalent clinical symptoms.

Good rating instruments for hyperkinetic disorders are required in both everyday practice and experimental settings

The evaluation of these disorders is complicated by the inherent nature and variability over time of involuntary movements

On the basis of the methodology developed by the MDS task force, a scale was defined as ‘Recommended’, ‘Suggested’ or ‘Listed’ in decreasing order of value

We identified scales defined as ‘Recommended’ for the assessment of all hyperkinetic disorders, with several ‘Recommended’ scales being available for tics and dystonia, but only one for myoclonus