DSM axis 5 (global assessment of functioning, GAF)

Introduction

Psychosocial & occupational function on a continum of mental illness, excluding disability due to physical or environmental limitations. Score 0-100, higher score indicates better function.

100 - higest level of function

90 - absent or minimal symptoms

80 - no more than slight psychosocial, occupational, or educational impairment; symptoms, if present, are transient

70 - some mild symptoms or some psychosocial, occupational, or educational impairment; generally functioning well

60 - moderate symptoms or moderate psychosocial, occupational, or educational impairment

50 - serious symptoms or serious psychosocial, occupational, or educational impairment

40 - some impairment in perception of reality or in communication, or major impairment in several areas, occupational, educational, psychosocial; impaired judgment or mood

30 - behavior considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations, or serious impairment in communication or judgment, or inability to function in most areas

20 - some danger to hurting self or others, or occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene, or some gross impairment in communication

10 - persistent danger of severely hurting self or others, or persistently unable to maintain minimal personal hygiene, or serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death

0 - inadequate information

More general terms

• multiaxis assessment (DSM axis)