Gaf

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
I didn't want to hijack Linda's thread...

What does a "typical" person's GAF run?

I realize kt's 38 is low...is 100 average or "normal"? Or is it like the 4 point scale and 75 or 80 is average?
 

crazymama30

Active Member
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_assessment_of_functioning[/ame]

try that link

I do know that according to keep a mentally ill person hospitalized (or in in pt treatment I would assume) The GAF has to be below a certain level for insurance to pay. Not sure if that plays into KT's GAF at all.
 
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Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Here, Heather.

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale
Consider the client's psychological, social, and occupational functioning on a hypothetical continuum (1-100) of mental health-illness. Do not include impairment in functioning due to physical (or environmental) limitations. Assessment is of client's functioning during the previous 12 months.

91-100 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life's problems never
seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her
many positive qualities. No symptoms

81-90 Absent or minimal symptoms (e.g., mild anxiety before an exam), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more that everyday problems or
concerns (e.g., an occasional argument with family members).

71-80 If symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to
psychosocial stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family arguments); no
more than slight impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning. (e.g.,
temporarily falling behind in schoolwork).

61-70 Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) OR some difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g. occasional truancy, or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.

51-60 Moderate symptoms (e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks) OR moderate difficulty in social, occupational or school functioning (e.g., few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).

41-50 Serious symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting) OR any serious impairment in social, occupational, or school
functioning (e.g., no friends, unable to keep a job).

31-40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g., speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) OR major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgement, thinking or mood (e.g., depressed person avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school).

21-30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR serious
impairment in communication or judgement (e.g. sometimes incoherent, acts
grossly inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation) OR inability to function in almost all
areas (e.g., stays in bed all day; no job, home or friends).

11-20 Some danger of hurting self or others (e.g., suicide attempts without clear
expectation of death; frequently violent; manic excitement) OR occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene (e.g. smears feces) OR gross impairment in
communication (e.g., largely incoherent or mute).

1-10 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others (e.g., recurrent violence) OR persistent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act
with clear expectation of death.
0 - Inadequate information.
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
My difficult child 1's neuropsychologist evaluation last spring concluded that his GAF was 56. Would have been nice if I'd gotten the report before school ended!
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Here's the one for kids...this one is in our archives.

Children’s Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale

Rate the subject’s most impaired level of general functioning for the specified time period by selecting the lowest level which describes his/her functioning on a hypothetical Continuum of health-illness. Use intermediary levels (e.g. 35, 58, 62). Rate actual functioning regardless of treatment or prognosis. The examples of behavior provided are only illustrative and are not required for a particular rating.


Specified Time Period: 1 month

91-100
Superior functioning in all areas (at home, at school, and with peers); involved in a wide range of activities and has many interests (e.g. has hobbies or participates in extracurricular activities or belongs to an organized group such as Scouts, etc): likeable, confident; "everyday" worries never get out of hand; doing well in school; no symptoms

81-90
Good functioning in all areas; secure in family, school, and with peers; there may be transient difficulties and "everyday" worries that occasionally get out of hand (e.g. mild anxiety associated with an important exam. occasionally 'blowups" with siblings parents, or peers)

71-80
No more than slight impairment In functioning at home, at school; or with peers; some disturbance of behavior or emotional distress may be present in response to life stresses (e.g. parental separations, deaths, birth of a sib), but these are brief and interference with functioning is transient; such children are only minimally disturbing to others and are not considered deviant by those who know them

61-70
Some difficulty in a single area, but generally functioning pretty well (e.g. sporadic or isolated antisocial acts, such as occasionally playing hooky or petty theft; consistent minor difficulties with school work; mood changes of brief duration; fears and anxieties which do not lead to gross avoidance behavior; self-doubts); has some meaningful interpersonal relationships; most people who do not know the child well would not consider him/her deviant but those who do know him/her well might express concern

51-60
Variable functioning with sporadic difficulties or symptoms in several but not all social areas; disturbance would be apparent to those who encounter the child in a dysfunctional setting or time but not to those who see the child in other settings

41-50
Moderate degree of interference in functioning in most social areas or severe impairment of functioning in one area, such as might result from, for example, suicidal preoccupations and ruminations, school refusal and other forms of anxiety, obsessive rituals, major conversion symptoms, frequent anxiety attacks, poor or inappropriate social skills, frequent episodes of aggressive or other antisocial behavior with some preservation of meaningful social relationships

31-40
Major impairment in functioning in several areas and unable to function in one of these areas, e.g. disturbed at home, at school, with peers or in society at large, e.g., persistent aggression without clear instigation; markedly withdrawn and isolated behavior due to either mood or thought disturbance, suicidal attempts with clear lethal intent: such children are likely to require special schooling and/or hospitalization or withdrawal from school (but this is not a sufficient criterion for inclusion in this category)

21-30
Unable to function in almost all areas, e.g., stays at home, in ward, or in bed all day without taking part in social activities or severe impairment in reality testing or serious impairment in communication (e.g., sometimes incoherent or inappropriate)

11-20
Needs considerable supervision to prevent hurting others or self (e.g. frequently violent, repeated suicide attempts) or to maintain personal hygiene or gross impairment in all forms of communication, e.g. severe abnormalities in verbal and gestural communication, marked social aloofness, stupor, etc.

0-10
Needs Constant supervision (24-hr care) due to severely aggressive or destructive behavior or gross impairment in reality testing, communication, cognition, affect, or personal hygiene

Children's Global Assessment Scale was adapted from the Global Assessment Scale for Adults
Children's Global Assessment Scale- Shaffer et al 1229
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
When I was in the hospital, my GAF was between 21-30. Now I fluctuate between 35 to 45. I have never got over 50. I know, and you all thought I was so normal! LOL. That was because I had a handler with me.
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
K was a 53 but she has slipped down to below a 50 I can't remember what it is, between her therapist and her psychiatrist.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Last I knew, wee was 45-50. Given the situation at school last year, he was probably more 30-40 last year, but I'd guess he's back to the 45-50 again. Maybe even a bit higher now.
 

tictoc

New Member
This is interesting. Early in the school year, difficult child was doing really well and I would say he was above 50. Now, however, I would put him around 35. Things have changed a lot in just the past few weeks. Ugh.
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
The GAF score is always assigned by a psychiatrist. Don't read or put your child in a number because it's all subjective; it's the measure over a period of generally 30 - 90 days.

Saying that, GAF is important to me because this score alone determines the level of services I get in my home for kt; the level of services wm receives in foster group home. It's also important as we are in the process of trying to get transition plans going for the tweedles as they are fast approaching 18.

It's more important to track the daily mood swings, acting out, being withdrawn, etc than to try & figure out where your difficult child is on the GAF score. You track that in a journal & psychiatrist can assign this number.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Very true TL. I only know my GAF scores because I get my treatment plans and the scores are on them along with my diagnosis.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Totally agreed. I guess I was just thinking of it in terms of how far wee has come this year as compared to last, which I hadn't thought of prior to this.
 
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