The concurrent validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)
Abstract
Background: Few studies of the validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) have been published and none has shown how GAF ratings are associated with concurrent ratings of symptoms and social functioning. This article provides such data. Method: Patients suffering from schizophrenia were assessed at admission to hospital and at six‐ and 12‐month follow‐up, using the GAF, the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Social Behaviour Schedule. Results: GAF ratings were highly correlated with ratings of symptoms and social behaviour at both follow‐ups but not at initial assessment, although the inter‐rater reliabilities for the measures were good. Conclusions: The GAF can be rated reliably after minimal training. It provides a valid summary of symptoms and social functioning among schizophrenic patients provided they are not assessed when suffering from acute psychotic episodes.
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The GAF has good inter-rater reliability and is associated with symptoms and social functioning in people with schizophrenia.
“It has good inter-rater reliability and is also associated with symptoms and social functioning in people with schizophrenia [37].”
Reliable GAF ratings require training of raters.
“Reliable GAF ratings require training of the raters [40]”
From Exploring mediators of the recovery process over time among mental health service users, using a mixed model regression analysis based on cluster RCT data (2020) · cites this paper as [40]
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“It has good inter-rater reliability and is also associated with symptoms and social functioning in people with schizophrenia [37].”
Background
- Authors
- Startup, M., Jackson, M. C., & Bendix, S.
- Affiliations
- Bangor University (GB)
- ORCID
- Jackson, Mike C.
- Venue
- British Journal of Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-11
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 417-422
- ISSN
- 0144-6657 (ISSN-L)
- 2044-8260
- OpenAlex
- W2085155165
- Cited by
- 366
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 3.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Keywords
- Global Assessment of Functioning, schizophrenia, concurrent validity, inter-rater reliability, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, social functioning, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, functional assessment
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Psychiatric, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychotic Disorders, Surveys and Questionnaires, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Social Behavior, Reproducibility of Results, Observer Variation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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