Altman Self Rating Mania Scale - Version 1.0 The Altman Mania Rating Scale is a professional scale used in the diagnosis of manic symptoms in bipolar disorder. It consists of five items specifically designed to assess both the presence and the severity of the symptoms. It may be used both on in an inpatient or in an outpatient setting as a screening tool to detect manic symptoms for clinical or research purposes. It correlates with the CARS-M and the YMRS and it is compatible with the DSM-IV criteria.