[Psychological evaluations of operation of patients with mental disorders]

The severe and chronic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are associated with very complex problems that are not confined to the symptoms but also affect psychosocial functioning and community integration.

To evaluate the reliability (in terms of internal consistency) of the WHODAS 2.0 for analyzing the psychosocial functioning of people with schizophrenia living in the community and using mental health services, and report the WHODAS 2.0 results from the same sample.

The sample comprised 100 users diagnosed with schizophrenia (F20 to F29 of ICD 10) living in the community and in contact with mental health services in Córdoba, Buenos Aires and San Luis in Argentina. Interviewers were trained in the use of the WHODAS 2.0.

For the overall internal consistency of the WHODAS 2.0: Cronbach's alpha = 0.78. WHODAS 2.0 results for these service users were: Domain 1, 57% none, 19.4% mild, 20.4% moderate, 3.2% severe. Domain 2, 60.2% none, 18.3% mild, 17.2% moderate, 3.2% severe. Domain 3, 54.9% none, 23.7% mild, 19.4% moderate, 2.2% severe. Domain 4, 74.2% none, 18.3% mild, 6.5% moderate, 1.1% severe. Domain 5, 82.8% none, 1.8% mild, 4.3% moderate, 1.1% severe. Domain 6, 81.7% none, 15.1% mild, 3.2% moderate.

WHODAS 2.0 showed high internal consistency in this population. Most of the service users had no disability or mild disability in all 6 domains. A substantial minority had moderate disability in some domains (D1, D3). In all domains, <5% had severe disability.