Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand – QuickDASH
Measures physical function and symptoms in individuals with musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand – QuickDASH was developed by Beaton DE, Wright JG, Katz JN (2005). It is designed to measure Upper extremity physical disability and symptoms. The scale is intended for use with Adults with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 11 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Activities, Symptoms.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Activities | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | 8 |
| Symptoms | 9,10,11 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = No difficulty / None / Not at all, 2 = Mild difficulty / Mild / Slightly, 3 = Moderate difficulty / Moderate / Moderately, 4 = Severe difficulty / Severe / Quite a bit, 5 = Unable / Extreme / Extremely.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 0 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Mild disability: 0 – 29
- Moderate disability: 30 – 49
- Severe disability: 50 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.