Agitation is a significant problem for nursing home residents, their families, and their caretakers. Agitation is defined as inappropriate verbal, vocal, or motor activity which is not explained by needs or confusion per se. It includes behaviors such as aimless wandering, pacing, cursing, screaming, biting, and fighting. The inappropriate nature of agitated behavior, evidenced by aggressiveness, excessive repetition, or lack of adherence to social standards, is judged from the standpoint of an observer. Although the literature describes agitation as related to dementia and cognitive deterioration in the elderly, this relationship has not been studied. A study was conducted to empirically test the relationship between level of cognitive functioning and both level and nature of agitation in nursing home residents (N=165). Residents were assessed via nurses' rating instruments for cognitive functioning and agitation. The results indicated that agitation was more prevalent among cognitively impaired than among cognitively intact residents, with the highest levels of agitation being exhibited by those with moderate levels of cognitive impairment. However, agitation was also quite prevalent among cognitively intact residents. Manifestations of agitation appeared to differ between cognitively intact and cognitively impaired residents; the former used behaviors which resembled coping mechanisms, whereas the latter manifested a wide range of inappropriate behaviors. These findings provide a preliminary picture of the relationship between agitation and cognitive functioning. (Author/NB)