Dsm-5 level 2 cross-cutting symptom measure

Assessment Measures

American Psychiatric Association. (2013b). Assessment measures. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.AssessmentMeasures

A growing body of scientific evidence favors dimensional concepts in the diagnosis of mental disorders. The limitations of a categorical approach to diagnosis include the failure to find zones of rarity between diagnoses (i.e., delineation of mental disorders from one another by natural boundaries), the need for intermediate categories like schizoaffective disorder, high rates of comorbidity, frequent not-otherwise-specified (NOS) diagnoses, relative lack of utility in furthering the identification of unique antecedent validators for most mental disorders, and lack of treatment specificity for the various diagnostic categories.

From both clinical and research perspectives, there is a need for a more dimensional approach that can be combined with DSM’s set of categorical diagnoses. Such an approach incorporates variations of features within an individual (e.g., differential severity of individual symptoms both within and outside of a disorder’s diagnostic criteria as measured by intensity, duration, or number of symptoms, along with other features such as type and severity of disabilities) rather than relying on a simple yes-or-no approach. For diagnoses for which all symptoms are needed for a diagnosis (a monothetic criteria set), different severity levels of the constituent symptoms may be noted. If a threshold endorsement of multiple symptoms is needed, such as at least five of nine symptoms for major depressive disorder (a polythetic criteria set), both severity levels and different combinations of the criteria may identify more homogeneous diagnostic groups.

A dimensional approach depending primarily on an individual’s subjective reports of symptom experiences along with the clinician’s interpretation is consistent with current diagnostic practice. It is expected that as our understanding of basic disease mechanisms based on pathophysiology, neurocircuitry, gene-environment interactions, and laboratory tests increases, approaches that integrate both objective and subjective patient data will be developed to supplement and enhance the accuracy of the diagnostic process.

Cross-cutting symptom measures modeled on general medicine’s review of systems can serve as an approach for reviewing critical psychopathological domains. The general medical review of systems is crucial to detecting subtle changes in different organ systems that can facilitate diagnosis and treatment. A similar review of various mental functions can aid in a more comprehensive mental status assessment by drawing attention to symptoms that may not fit neatly into the diagnostic criteria suggested by the individual’s presenting symptoms, but may nonetheless be important to the individual’s care. The cross-cutting measures have two levels: Level 1 questions are a brief survey of 13 symptom domains for adult patients and 12 domains for child and adolescent patients. Level 2 questions provide a more in-depth assessment of certain domains. These measures were developed to be administered both at initial interview and over time to track the patient’s symptom status and response to treatment.

Severity measures are disorder-specific, corresponding closely to the criteria that constitute the disorder definition. They may be administered to individuals who have received a diagnosis or who have a clinically significant syndrome that falls short of meeting full criteria for a diagnosis. Some of the assessments are self-completed by the individual, while others require a clinician to complete. As with the cross-cutting symptom measures, these measures were developed to be administered both at initial interview and over time to track the severity of the individual’s disorder and response to treatment.

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, Version 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) was developed to assess a patient’s ability to perform activities in six areas: understanding and communicating; getting around; self-care; getting along with people; life activities (e.g., household, work/school); and participation in society. The scale is self-administered and was developed to be used in patients with any medical disorder. It corresponds to concepts contained in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. This assessment can also be used over time to track changes in a patient’s disabilities.

This chapter focuses on the DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (adult self-rated and parent/guardian versions); the Clinician-Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom Severity; and the WHODAS 2.0. Clinician instructions, scoring information, and interpretation guidelines are included for each. These measures and additional dimensional assessments, including those for diagnostic severity, can be found online at www.psychiatry.org/dsm5.

Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures

The DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure is a patient- or informant-rated measure that assesses mental health domains that are important across psychiatric diagnoses. It is intended to help clinicians identify additional areas of inquiry that may have significant impact on the individual’s treatment and prognosis. In addition, the measure may be used to track changes in the individual’s symptom presentation over time.

The adult version of the measure consists of 23 questions that assess 13 psychiatric domains, including depression, anger, mania, anxiety, somatic symptoms, suicidal ideation, psychosis, sleep problems, memory, repetitive thoughts and behaviors, dissociation, personality functioning, and substance use (Table). Each domain consists of one to three questions. Each item inquires about how much (or how often) the individual has been bothered by the specific symptom during the past 2 weeks. If the individual is of impaired capacity and unable to complete the form (e.g., an individual with dementia), a knowledgeable adult informant may complete this measure. The measure was found to be clinically useful and to have good reliability in the DSM-5 field trials that were conducted in adult clinical samples across the United States and in Canada(Clarke et al. 2013; Narrow et al. 2013).

The parent/guardian-rated version of the measure (for children ages 6–17) consists of 25 questions that assess 12 psychiatric domains, including depression, anger, irritability, mania, anxiety, somatic symptoms, inattention, suicidal ideation/attempt, psychosis, sleep disturbance, repetitive thoughts and behaviors, and substance use (Table). Each item asks the parent or guardian to rate how much (or how often) his or her child has been bothered by the specific psychiatric symptom during the past 2 weeks. The measure was also found to be clinically useful and to have good reliability in the DSM-5 field trials that were conducted in pediatric clinical samples across the United States(Narrow et al. 2013). For children ages 11–17, along with the parent/guardian rating of the child’s symptoms, the clinician may consider having the child complete the child-rated version of the measure. The child-rated version of the measure can be found online at www.psychiatry.org/dsm5.

On the adult self-rated version of the measure, each item is rated on a 5-point scale (0=none or not at all; 1=slight or rare, less than a day or two; 2=mild or several days; 3=moderate or more than half the days; and 4=severe or nearly every day). The score on each item within a domain should be reviewed. However, a rating of mild (i.e., 2) or greater on any item within a domain, except for substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychosis, may serve as a guide for additional inquiry and follow-up to determine if a more detailed assessment is necessary, which may include the Level 2 cross-cutting symptom assessment for the domain (see ). For substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychosis, a rating of slight (i.e., 1) or greater on any item within the domain may serve as a guide for additional inquiry and follow-up to determine if a more detailed assessment is needed. As such, indicate the highest score within a domain in the “Highest domain score” column. Table outlines threshold scores that may guide further inquiry for the remaining domains.

On the parent/guardian-rated version of the measure (for children ages 6–17), 19 of the 25 items are each rated on a 5-point scale (0=none or not at all; 1=slight or rare, less than a day or two; 2=mild or several days; 3=moderate or more than half the days; and 4=severe or nearly every day). The suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and substance abuse items are each rated on a “Yes, No, or Don’t Know” scale. The score on each item within a domain should be reviewed. However, with the exception of inattention and psychosis, a rating of mild (i.e., 2) or greater on any item within a domain that is scored on the 5-point scale may serve as a guide for additional inquiry and follow-up to determine if a more detailed assessment is necessary, which may include the Level 2 cross-cutting symptom assessment for the domain (see Table). For inattention or psychosis, a rating of slight or greater (i.e., 1 or greater) may be used as an indicator for additional inquiry. A parent or guardian’s rating of “Don’t Know” on the suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and any of the substance use items, especially for children ages 11–17 years, may result in additional probing of the issues with the child, including using the child-rated Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure for the relevant domain. Because additional inquiry is made on the basis of the highest score on any item within a domain, clinicians should indicate that score in the “Highest Domain Score” column. Table outlines threshold scores that may guide further inquiry for the remaining domains.

Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures

Any threshold scores on the Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (as noted in Tables 1 and 2 and described in “Scoring and Interpretation” indicate a possible need for detailed clinical inquiry. Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures provide one method of obtaining more in-depth information on potentially significant symptoms to inform diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up. They are available online at www.psychiatry.org/dsm5. Tables 1 and 2 outline each Level 1 domain and identify the domains for which DSM-5 Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures are available for more detailed assessments. Adult and pediatric (parent and child) versions are available online for most Level 1 symptom domains at www.psychiatry.org/dsm5.

Frequency of Use of the Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures

To track change in the individual’s symptom presentation over time, the Level 1 and relevant Level 2 cross-cutting symptom measures may be completed at regular intervals as clinically indicated, depending on the stability of the individual’s symptoms and treatment status. For individuals with impaired capacity and for children ages 6–17 years, it is preferable for the measures to be completed at follow-up appointments by the same knowledgeable informant and by the same parent or guardian. Consistently high scores on a particular domain may indicate significant and problematic symptoms for the individual that might warrant further assessment, treatment, and follow-up. Clinical judgment should guide decision making.