What Does Axis Mean on Psychologist Evaluations?

There are five axes included in the DSM-IV multi-axial classification. This system helps a mental health professional clarify a person's diagnosis and determine treatment needs. It's a way that therapists organize clinical information.

Axis I

• This axis is where the clinician lists the clinical disorders such as major depression and schizophrenia. There can be more than one clinical disorder. The first one listed should be principal diagnosis.

Axis II

• A clinician would list personality disorders and mental retardation on this axis.

Axis III

• Current general medical conditions are listed on this axis. Many medical disorders affect a person's mental health, so it's important that these are noted on the clinical assessment.

Axis IV

• This axis is for listing psychosocial and environmental problems that could affect the person's diagnosis or treatment of mental health issues. For example, a clinician might list housing or economic problems here.

Axis V

• This axis is the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). A clinician notes a number from a scale that is divided into 10 ranges of functioning to show the client's level of functioning. For example, a 100 is known as superior functioning and a 70 is known as mild symptoms.