WHODAS 2.0
WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0
WHO-developed measure of functioning across six domains; recommended as the DSM-5 cross-cutting functional measure.
When to use the WHODAS 2.0
Use WHODAS 2.0 when you need to document functioning rather than symptoms — for disability determinations, level-of-care decisions, or to show that treatment improved a client's actual life across six domains over the past 30 days.
What the WHODAS 2.0 measures
Past-30-day difficulty in six functional domains: cognition, mobility, self-care, getting along, life activities, and participation. 12-item short form also available.
Use the WHODAS 2.0 when
- Disability, accommodation, or return-to-work documentation
- Demonstrating functional improvement to a payer when symptom scores are already low
- Complex or chronic presentations where impairment matters more than diagnosis
- Setting goals in the client's own domains: mobility, self-care, getting along, life activities, participation
Why use the WHODAS 2.0 instead of another measure
WHODAS is diagnosis-neutral and built on the ICF framework, so it compares functioning across physical and mental-health conditions. That makes it the right measure whenever the question is 'what can this person do?' rather than 'what symptoms do they have?'.
When not to use the WHODAS 2.0
- You need symptom severity or a screening decision — use a disorder-specific measure
- Only a few minutes are available; the 36-item version takes 20 minutes (use the 12-item version)
- Comparing across settings without deciding first whether you are using simple or complex scoring
Scoring and bands
Cutoffs
There isn't a single universal cutoff; WHODAS is anchored against population norms by age and country. Used clinically for tracking change, often in combination with symptom measures.
What WHODAS 2.0 results mean — and what to do next
Functioning is largely intact even if symptoms persist.
Next stepShift goals toward maintenance, meaning, and relapse prevention.
Meaningful restriction in one or more domains.
Next stepTarget the highest-scoring domains directly with behavioral goals and, where relevant, accommodations.
Broad functional disability across domains.
Next stepCoordinate care — case management, occupational therapy, vocational support — alongside psychotherapy.
How often to re-administer
At intake, at review points (every 3 months), and at discharge.
What to pair it with
Any symptom measure you are already using; WHODAS answers the 'so what' that symptom scores leave open.
How to talk about the score
Pair symptom severity (PHQ-9, GAD-7, etc.) with functional impairment (WHODAS) to give a complete picture. Two clients with identical symptom severity can differ dramatically in functioning.
Limitations
- Longer than other measures (12-item version helps)
- Cultural variation in domain interpretation
- Some domains (mobility, self-care) less relevant for many psychiatric populations
- Self-report
Best used for
- Functional impairment tracking
- Disability documentation
- DSM-5 cross-cutting assessment recommendation
Frequently asked questions about the WHODAS 2.0
Do I need to use the full 36-item version?
The 12-item version is well-validated and adequate for most clinical use. Use 36-item when you need domain-level detail.
How is WHODAS different from a quality-of-life measure?
WHODAS focuses on difficulty doing activities (functioning); QoL measures focus on subjective satisfaction. They correlate but capture different things.