Measures of impairment for children and adolescents

Measuring the degree of impairment in children and adolescents due to emotional or behavioral disorders is a recent development that will become increasingly important to states and their mental health administrators. A survey of the 50 states was conducted to identify impairment measures that were used on a statewide basis. The results of the survey are presented; five measures were found to be used consistently. The three global measures and two multidimensional measures identified in the survey are reviewed here. Each measure is described and its pertinent psychometric data are presented. The implications for mental health administrators in terms of implementing statewide procedures to assess impairment are considered.