Module 2: Screening and Assessment

6D. Functional Assessment

Assessing a youth's functioning is another important facet of the entire assessment process. Measuring how a youth functions in various domains helps the professional identify problem areas and plan interventions. The Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) is a practical and useful measure designed to provide information on impairment. Its strength is that it clearly informs clinicians as to what functional areas need to be addressed in treatment. This instrument has been used to assess the outcome of individual treatment interventions as well as statewide service system evaluations (Hodges et al., 1997). The CAFAS is an interviewer-rated instrument that measures a youth's functioning across five domains: role performance, thinking, behavior toward self and others, mood and emotions, and substance use.