When using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale, clinicians need to start ________.
A)At the bottom and evaluate each range for the function of the individual
B)At the top level and keep moving down the scale until the best match is found
C)By guessing at about which level the person might be functioning
D)With another type of assessment altogether

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A clinician starts at the top level of the GAF scale and keeps moving down the scale until the best match for the individual's function is located. To determine the specific rating within the ten point range, a clinician can consider whether the person is functioning at the lower or higher end of that range.
The DSM-V no longer formally uses GAF scores, but instead now uses the assessment tool known as the WHODAS 2.0. GAF scales may still be referred to as a long-used tool.
The World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) is a practical, generic assessment instrument that can measure health and disability at the population level or in clinical practice (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2010). This is the self-report version of the WHODAS 2.0 for use by individuals 18 years of age and over. There is also a proxy version, which can be completed by a relative, carer, or friend, or an interviewer version, which can be completed by a clinician.
WHODAS 2.0 captures the level of functioning in six domains of life:
Cognition - understanding and communicating
Mobility - moving and getting around
Self-care - attending to one's hygiene, dressing, eating, and staying alone
Getting along - interacting with other people
Life activities - domestic responsibilities, leisure, work, and school
Participation - joining in community activities, participating in society.
WHODAS 2.0 provides a common metric of the impact of any health condition in terms of functioning. As a generic measure, WHODAS 2.0 does not target a specific disease - it can thus be used to compare disability due to different diseases.

When Using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale, Clinicians