GAF
Also written as: GAF — Global Assessment of Functioning
Numeric scale used to assess overall psychological, social, and occupational functioning in psychiatric patients.
Full Definition
The Global Assessment of Functioning scale provides a single numeric rating (1-100) of an individual's overall level of psychological, social, and occupational functioning. Higher scores indicate better functioning, with scores above 70 generally indicating good functioning, 51-70 indicating mild to moderate symptoms, and scores below 50 indicating serious impairment. While the GAF was included in DSM-IV-TR, it was removed from DSM-5 due to conceptual and psychometric limitations. However, it remains widely used in clinical practice, insurance documentation, and research settings for tracking treatment progress and determining level of care needs.
Usage
Usage note: Note that GAF was removed from DSM-5; indicate version when referencing diagnostic criteria.
In Context
- "The patient's GAF score improved from 45 to 65 following six months of treatment." — Progress note
- "Insurance authorization required documentation of GAF scores to justify intensive treatment services." — Utilization review documentation