Development, reliability and acceptability of a new version of the DSM-IV Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) to assess routine social functioning.
OBJECTIVE
Development of a scale to assess patients' social functioning, the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP).


METHODS
PSP has been developed through focus groups and reliability studies on the basis of the social functioning component of the DSM-IV Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). The last reliability study was carried out by 39 workers with different professional roles on a sample of 61 psychiatric patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit. Each patient was rated independently on the scale by the two workers who knew them best.


RESULTS
The PSP is a 100-point single-item rating scale, subdivided into 10 equal intervals. The ratings are based mainly on the assessment of patient's functioning in four main areas: 1) socially useful activities; 2) personal and social relationships; 3) self-care; and 4) disturbing and aggressive behaviours. Operational criteria to rate the levels of disabilities have been defined for the above-mentioned areas. Excellent inter-rater reliability was also obtained in less educated workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to SOFAS, PSP has better face validity and psychometric properties. It was found to be an acceptable, quick and valid measure of patients' personal and social functioning.
Morosini
P L
PL
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, National Health Institute, Rome, Italy.
Magliano
L
L
Brambilla
L
L
Ugolini
S
S
Pioli
R
R
D000328:Adult; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012951:Socialization