Preface

Bech, Per; Malt, UF; Dencker, S. J.; Ahlfors, U. G.; Elgen, K.; Lewander, Tommy; Lundell, A.; Simpson, George M.; Lingjmde, O.

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1993.tb05583.x

Cited by 66 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Scaling means quantifying qualities by assigning numbers [45]. For psychiatry, scaling has been, and will continue to be, central to its development [22,46-49]. The choice of rating scale is not indifferent: problems in scaling can be due to properties of the rating scale [50,51].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The internationally well known symptom checklists are clear examples [53]. The simplest way of scoring symptom and functioning items is to score present or absent [24], but scorers can be capable of making more accurate judgements, for example by using a Likert-type scale with five categories, ranging from not present to present to a marked degree [46,54]. The items of a symptom checklist must be relevant for the disorder(s) to be studied (that is, a generic scale requires an all-inclusive set of symptoms).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The scored value is the distance from the point to the scale's lower end. The VAS has been used successfully in psychiatry, but there is no conclusive evidence that it is better than categorical scales and it takes more work to analyse [46,51,53,54,61,62]. When a VAS is equipped with descriptive anchor points along the line, it becomes more similar to a scale that could work as a visual scale for GAF.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Categorical scales often have five categories, such as 'very marked', 'marked', 'neither marked nor weak', 'weak' and 'very weak'. Although functioning scored by a 5-point scale can have good reliability [84], the optimum number of categories may be five to seven, or more [24,46,50,51,54]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): properties and frontier of current knowledge

2010

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BackgroundGlobal Assessment of Functioning (GAF) is well known internationally and widely used for scoring the severity of illness in psychiatry. Problems with GAF show a need for its further development (for example validity and reliability problems). The aim of the present study was to identify gaps in current knowledge about properties of GAF that are of interest for further development. Properties of GAF are defined as characteristic traits or attributes that serve to define GAF (or may have a role to define a future updated GAF).MethodsA thorough literature search was conducted.ResultsA number of gaps in knowledge about the properties of GAF were identified: for example, the current GAF has a continuous scale, but is a continuous or categorical scale better? Scoring is not performed by setting a mark directly on a visual scale, but could this improve scoring? Would new anchor points, including key words and examples, improve GAF (anchor points for symptoms, functioning, positive mental health, prognosis, improvement of generic properties, exclusion criteria for scoring in 10-point intervals, and anchor points at the endpoints of the scale)? Is a change in the number of anchor points and their distribution over the total scale important? Could better instructions for scoring within 10-point intervals improve scoring? Internationally, both single and dual scales for GAF are used, but what is the advantage of having separate symptom and functioning scales? Symptom (GAF-S) and functioning (GAF-F) scales should score different dimensions and still be correlated, but what is the best combination of definitions for GAF-S and GAF-F? For GAF with more than two scales there is limited empirical testing, but what is gained or lost by using more than two scales?ConclusionsIn the history of GAF, its basic properties have undergone limited changes. Problems with GAF may, in part, be due to lack of a research programme testing the effects of different changes in basic properties. Given the widespread use, research-based development of GAF has not been especially strong. Further research could improve GAF.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): properties and frontier of current knowledge

2010

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“…The SCL90-R [31] has been widely applied in psychiatric studies as a measurement of general psychopathology or distress [35]. This scale was originally developed as a discomfort scale, and, therefore, to some extent it identified problems related to the quality of life.…”

Section: P Rocedu Rementioning

confidence: 99%

Sequential Combined Treatment of Heroin Addicted Patients in Portugal with Naltrexone and Family Therapy

Neto¹,

Xavier

Aguiar³

et al. 1997

Eur Addict Res

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Estimates point to the existence of 60,000 heroin-addicted patients in Portugal. In this paper we present a study using a methodology, called sequential combined treatment, based on the following steps: (a) detoxification; (b) family assessment; (c) naltrexone, always administered to the patient by his parents; (d) family intervention and restructuring. Evaluation procedure included sociodemographic data, patient functioning, psychopathological aspects, depression, HIV check and urine sample analysis. Sixty-three heroin-abusing patients consecutively entering the program were studied. 70% of the patients adhered to the method and achieved 35.5 weeks of abstinence. After 1 year of treatment, 40% were still abstinent. Patient functioning and psychopathology also showed considerable improvement. Despite these encouraging results, further studies are necessary to evaluate this method within different groups of heroin addicts.

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Effect of Galantamine Hydrobromide in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Blacker¹,

Greenwood²,

Wesnes³

et al. 2004

JAMA

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HRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS) is a complex disorder characterized by long-term disability. The rate of spontaneous recovery in CFS is low 1 and no consistently effective treatment is available. Hypoactivity of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis has been demonstrated in some patients with CFS and fibromyalgia. 2-7 Some evidence suggests that CFS patients may have enhanced sensitivity of the peripheral cholinergic vascular system and an exaggerated pyridostigmine-stimulated growth hormone release response. 8 Acetylcholine is implicated in vagal tone, baroreceptor reflexes, and in transmission at the nicotinic sympathetic ganglia and at the neuromuscular junctions. Patients with CFS are often intolerant of the anticholinergic adverse effects of tricyclic antidepressants and these symptoms are similar to the symptoms of CFS. The frequent complaint of cognitive impairment in CFS also is consistent with the cholinergic hypothesis of cognition. A functional deficiency of cholinergic neurotransmission offers one possible explanation for the findings of a hypoactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; under conditions of stress, acetylcholine facilitates the release of corticotrophin-releasing hormone. Cholinergic stimulation also releases

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Preface

Cited by 66 publications

References 2 publications

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): properties and frontier of current knowledge

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): properties and frontier of current knowledge

Sequential Combined Treatment of Heroin Addicted Patients in Portugal with Naltrexone and Family Therapy

Effect of Galantamine Hydrobromide in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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