Free download of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale – Youth version (WSAS-Y) and Parent version (WSAS-P). These brief, validated questionnaires measure functional impairment in children and adolescents and can be used in clinical research, psychological assessment, and treatment outcome monitoring.
The WSAS-Y/P was developed through an international collaboration between researchers at Karolinska Institutet, King’s College London, and the Maudsley Hospital.
Download the WSAS-Y and WSAS-P questionnaires
Both questionnaires are freely available for non-commercial use, including academic research.
| Language version | Translation |
| Download WSAS-Y and WSAS-P – English (PDF) | Original, Jassi, Lenhard et al (2020) |
| Download WSAS-Y and WSAS-P – Swedish (PDF) | Original, Jassi, Lenhard et al (2020) |
| Download WSAS-Y and WSAS-P – Finnish (PDF) | HUS Translations, Prof Suoma Saarni, Mikael Manninen |
| German translation – currently ongoing | |
| Spanish translation – currently ongoing |
Researchers interested in translated versions, cross-cultural validation, or collaboration on further translations are welcome to get in touch: fabian.lenhard@ki.se.
What is the WSAS-Y/P?
The Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) is a widely used measure of functional impairment in adults. The WSAS-Y (Youth version) and WSAS-P (Parent version) adapt this instrument for children and adolescents.
The questionnaires assess how psychological, psychiatric, neurological, or other health-related problems interfere with everyday functioning across five domains:
- School and work
- Daily activities
- Social activities
- Leisure activities
- Family and relationships
The WSAS-Y is completed by the young person, while the WSAS-P provides a complementary assessment from a parent or caregiver.
Both versions contain five items scored from 0 to 8, producing a total score between 0 and 40, with higher scores indicating greater functional impairment. Completion typically takes approximately 3–5 minutes.
The WSAS-Y/P can be used to assess functional impairment at baseline and to monitor changes in functioning during and after treatment.
Psychometric validation and scientific evidence
The WSAS-Y and WSAS-P were evaluated in a study involving 525 children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, recruited from clinical services in Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The study, published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development (Jassi et al., 2020), demonstrated:
- Excellent internal consistency
- A single-factor structure reflecting functional impairment
- Good convergent and divergent validity
- Adequate test–retest reliability
- High sensitivity to change following treatment
WSAS-Y and WSAS-P were also psychometrically evaluated in a study involving 298 children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and 107 healthy controls (Koc et al., 2025). Both versions demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.750 for WSAS-Y and 0.755 for WSAS-P) and excellent test–retest reliability (0.937 and 0.934, respectively).
These findings support the use of the WSAS-Y/P as brief outcome measures of functional impairment in young people. Further validation in a sample of depressed youth is currently ongoing.
International availability
The WSAS-Y and WSAS-P were originally developed and validated in English and Swedish.
Both questionnaires have been included in Sweden’s National Form Collection (Nationell formulärsamling), administered through the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR). They are available for authorized clinical use through Sweden’s national 1177 healthcare questionnaire system.
WSAS-Y/P have been implemented broadly in healthcare in several regions in Sweden, England, Finland and Canada.
Using the WSAS-Y/P in research or clinical practice
The WSAS-Y/P can be used free of charge for non-commercial purposes, including academic research. Commercial applications may require separate permission.
When using the questionnaire, please retain the original attribution and cite the validation study below. Researchers are encouraged to use the original wording and scoring procedure to maintain comparability across studies.
How to score the WSAS-Y/P
Each of the five items is rated from 0 (no impairment) to 8 (very severe impairment). The five item scores are summed to obtain a total score ranging from 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate greater functional impairment. The youth and parent versions are scored separately and can provide complementary perspectives on functioning.
How to cite the WSAS-Y/P
Jassi, A., Lenhard, F., Krebs, G., et al. (2020). The Work and Social Adjustment Scale, Youth and Parent Versions: Psychometric Evaluation of a Brief Measure of Functional Impairment in Young People. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 51, 453–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-00956-z
Frequently asked questions
Is the WSAS-Y/P free to use?
Yes. The questionnaires are available free of charge for non-commercial use, including academic research.
What is the difference between WSAS-Y and WSAS-P?
WSAS-Y is a youth self-report questionnaire, while WSAS-P is completed by a parent or caregiver. Both measure impairment in everyday functioning using the same five domains.
Can WSAS-Y/P measure treatment outcomes?
Yes. The original validation study demonstrated sensitivity to change following treatment, supporting its use in longitudinal research and clinical outcome monitoring.
Is the WSAS-Y/P available in languages other than English?
English, Swedish and Finnish versions are available for download above. A Turkish version has been validated, and translations into several additional languages are in progress.
For questions about the WSAS-Y/P, translations, permissions, or research collaborations, please contact Fabian Lenhard, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
