Abnormal psychosocial situations. Preliminary results of a WHO and a German multicenter study.

The World Health Organization (WHO) provided instructions for field trials with the completely revised psychosocial axis of the MAS (Multiaxial classification scheme in child and adolescent psychiatry). A description is given of the purpose, the stages and the procedures of the field trials, the participating centres and the samples. The results of the studies concerning applicability and reliability are given and discussed, as well as those of a quasi validity study, in a comparison of anxiety disorders and disruptive behaviour disorders. In general the applicability is very satisfactory, especially when the diagnostic guidelines are followed strictly. The preliminary results of the reliability studies are rather inconsistent. The difference in training apparently played a very important role. The quasi validity study yielded indications that there are not only differences in quantity but in particular in quality of the psychosocial situations, as outlined in the categories of the axis, of different psychiatric disorders.