Procedures for testing some aspects of the content validity of the psychodynamic functioning scales and the global assessment of functioning scale

Forty-five psychotherapists from 3 countries participated in the evaluation of the 6 subscales of the Psychodynamic Functioning (PFS) Scales and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) for comprehensiveness and clinical importance. Using a new procedure (experts' scale construction) based on Q sort, they also constructed their own version of the scales.On average, the clinicians' independently constructed scales were highly similar to the original scales in the PFS, indicating good content validity and suggesting only minor revisions for 2 subscales. The estimates for the content validity of GAF were lower, and the findings suggest problems in integrating symptoms and dysfunction in that scale. The psychotherapists' gender, nationality, and theoretical orientation had no influence on their perception of the investigated scales. The new experts' scale construction procedure can be useful when testing and revising scales, diagnostic criteria, and shorter treatment manuals.