ABNORMAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SITUATIONS - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS OF A WHO AND AGERMAN MULTICENTER STUDY

The World Health Organization (WHO) provided instructions for field tr ials with the completely revised psychosocial axis of the MAS (Multiax ial classification scheme in child and adolescent psychiatry). A descr iption is given of the purpose, the stages and the procedures of the f ield trials, the participating centres and the samples. The results of the studies concerning applicability and reliability are given and di scussed, as well as those of a quasi validity study, in a comparison o f anxiety disorders and disruptive behaviour disorders. In general the applicability is very satisfactory, especially when the diagnostic gu idelines are followed strictly. The preliminary results of the reliabi lity studies are rather inconsistent. The difference in training appar ently played a very important role. The quasi validity study yielded i ndications that there are not only differences in quantity but in part icular in quality of the psychosocial situations, as outlined in the c ategories of the axis, of different psychiatric disorders.