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SDS

Sheehan Disability Scale

The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) is a 3-item functioning / qol assessment for adults. It typically takes about 2 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 30 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

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Items

3

Time to complete

2 min

Population

adult

Score range

0–30

About the SDS

The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) is a 3-item functioning / qol assessment for adults. It typically takes about 2 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 30 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

First published in 1983 by Sheehan DV, the SDS is free to use for clinical and research purposes with attribution. With Psyche Assess you can send the SDS to clients online, score it automatically, and generate a clinician-ready report in seconds.

SDS questions

Response scale
0 = 0 — Not at all1 = 12 = 23 = 34 = 45 = 5 — Moderately6 = 67 = 78 = 89 = 910 = 10 — Extremely
  1. 1

    Work / School: symptoms have disrupted your work / school work.

  2. 2

    Social Life / Leisure Activities: symptoms have disrupted your social life and leisure activities.

  3. 3

    Family Life / Home Responsibilities: symptoms have disrupted your family life and home responsibilities.

Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.

Scoring & interpretation

RangeBandInterpretation
0–0No impairmentNo disability reported.
1–9Mild impairmentMild functional impairment.
10–19Moderate impairmentModerate functional impairment.
20–29Marked impairmentMarked functional impairment — substantial life disruption.
30–30Extreme impairmentExtreme functional impairment.

Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

Frequently asked questions

How many items does the SDS have?

The SDS has 3 items and takes about 2 minutes to complete.

How is the SDS scored?

Item responses are summed for a total score from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate greater severity. Totals fall into the interpretive bands shown above.

Is the SDS free to use?

The SDS is free to use for clinical and research purposes provided the authors are credited and the item wording is not altered.

Who is the SDS for?

The SDS is designed for adult and is used by clinicians, researchers, and integrated-care teams.

Source & references

AuthorsSheehan DV
First published1983
CitationLeon AC, Olfson M, Portera L, Farber L, Sheehan DV. Assessing psychiatric impairment in primary care with the Sheehan Disability Scale. Int J Psychiatry Med. 1997;27(2):93-105.
PubMed9565717
LicenseOpen license
Source obtained from https://www.harmresearch.org on 2026-05-16. Every instrument in our catalog has a documented, legitimate source — never scraped from another platform.

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