GLOBAL ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONING - A MODIFIED SCALE

The modified Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale has more det ailed criteria and a more structured scoring system than the original GAF. The two scales were compared for reliability and validity. Raters who had different training levels assigned hospital admission and dis charge GAF scores from patient charts. Intraclass correlation coeffici ents for admission GAF scores were higher for raters who used the modi fied GAF (0.81), compared with raters who used the original GAF (0.62) . Validity studies showed a high correlation (0.80) between the two se ts of scores. The modified GAF also correlated well with Zung Depressi on scores (-0.73). The modified GAF may be particularly useful when in terrater reliability needs to be maximum and/or when persons with vary ing skills and employment backgrounds--and without much GAF training-- must rate patients. Because of the increased structure, the modified G AF may also be more resistant to rater bias.