Description Scale

The Children’s Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS) is a psychological assessment tool used to measure the overall level of functioning in children and adolescents. The scale provides a single numerical rating that reflects the child’s general psychological, social, and academic functioning. It is a modified version of the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) used for adults, tailored to assess the functioning of individuals under 18 years old. The C-GAS is widely used in clinical settings to evaluate the severity of mental health disorders and the impact of interventions over time.
Scope: The C-GAS assesses the child’s functioning across various domains, including behavior, emotions, relationships with family and peers, and performance in school.
Rating Scale: The scale ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating better overall functioning and lower scores reflecting more severe impairment.

Data Analysis and Usage

The analysis of data from the C-GAS involves:
Result Processing: A clinician assigns a score based on observations, clinical interviews, and reports from parents or teachers. The score represents the child’s level of functioning over a specified period, typically the past week or month.
Data Interpretation: The score is interpreted to determine the overall functioning of the child, with specific cut-off points indicating levels of impairment. For example, a score below 70 may indicate significant problems in functioning, while a score above 80 typically reflects good functioning with only minor issues.
Application: The results from the C-GAS can be used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental health conditions, monitor changes over time, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments or interventions.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS) are:
Assessment of Overall Functioning: To provide a comprehensive assessment of a child’s overall psychological, social, and academic functioning.
Monitoring Progress: To track changes in the child’s functioning over time, allowing clinicians to monitor the impact of treatments and interventions.
Diagnostic Aid: To assist in the diagnosis of mental health disorders by providing a clear picture of the child’s level of functioning and areas of impairment.

Calibration

The calibration of the C-GAS includes:
Scoring: Each score on the C-GAS corresponds to a specific level of functioning, with detailed descriptions provided to guide the clinician in assigning the most accurate rating.
Statistical Analysis: The data can be analyzed to ensure consistency and reliability across different populations and settings, making the C-GAS a standardized tool for assessing child and adolescent functioning.
Normative Data: Scores are compared against normative data to interpret the child’s functioning relative to peers of the same age and background.

Bibliography

Shaffer, D., Gould, M. S., Brasic, J., Ambrosini, P., Fisher, P., Bird, H., & Aluwahlia, S. (1983). A Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).
Bird, H. R., Canino, G., Rubio-Stipec, M., & Ribera, J. C. (1987). Further measures of the psychometric properties of the Children’s Global Assessment Scale.
Rey, J. M., Starling, J., Wever, C., Dossetor, D. R., & Plapp, J. M. (1995). Inter-rater reliability of global assessment measures in a clinical setting.
Lundh, L. G., Kowalski, J., Sundberg, C. J., Gumpert, C. H., & Landen, M. (2008). Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) in a naturalistic clinical setting: Inter-rater reliability and comparison with expert ratings.
Endicott, J., Spitzer, R. L., Fleiss, J. L., & Cohen, J. (1976). The Global Assessment Scale: A procedure for measuring overall severity of psychiatric disturbance.