Validity of Axis V of DSM-III and other measures of adaptive functioning.

In order to address validity issues which have not been adequately explored in the existing literature on Axis V, the authors compared ratings on this axis with ratings on three other measures of adaptive functioning (Social Competence, premorbid and present) in a diagnostically heterogeneous group of 195 referred adolescents. It was found that correlations amongst the measures were moderate, except between premorbid and present functioning, which was high. Axis V was found to be comparable with a measure of premorbid functioning while Social Competence was similar to present functioning.