What this DBQ covers
This questionnaire covers mental disorders other than the conditions directed to separate forms, including PTSD and eating disorders. It asks the clinician to document the diagnosis, relevant history, symptoms, and effects on work and social functioning. Those effects require clinical assessment in context. A list of symptoms does not by itself determine a rating, and having several diagnoses does not automatically explain which condition causes each limitation.
The important sections, explained
Diagnosis and overlapping symptoms
The diagnosis section asks whether more than one mental disorder is present and whether symptoms can be differentiated. It also asks about a documented traumatic brain injury when applicable. You are not expected to decide which diagnosis causes a particular difficulty. Describe the symptom, timing and relevant treatment, and bring existing assessments. The qualified examiner determines whether the effects can be separated and should preserve uncertainty where the evidence does not support a clear distinction.
Read the official form: page 1
Occupational and social functioning
The clinical history and symptom sections help the examiner assess effects on work, relationships and daily life. Concrete examples are more useful than selecting phrases from a rating table. Explain frequency, duration and what changes during an episode, including abilities you retain and areas where support is needed. The examiner selects the overall impairment description using the assessment. A single checked symptom does not independently decide the whole evaluation or guarantee a particular rating.
How to prepare useful information
Bring relevant mental health records and an accurate treatment history. Prepare examples of changes in work, relationships, concentration, self-care, or other daily activities that apply to you. Describe frequency, duration, and variation rather than repeating language from the form. The questionnaire sets examiner qualifications and supervision requirements for initial and review examinations. Discuss those requirements with the provider and let the clinician assess diagnosis, attribution, and overall impairment.
Fictional example
A veteran describes repeatedly losing track of routine tasks during a period of poor concentration and explains the reminders they use. They also describe a different pattern of difficulty in social settings and bring treatment notes. The examiner can assess the practical effects without assuming every difficulty has one cause. The example is about accurate description, not wording a veteran should copy to obtain a benefit.
Records to gather
Start with records you already have. Bring the relevant information to your clinician and explain any gaps or uncertain dates.
- Records of diagnoses, treatment, and relevant changes over time
- Examples of effects on work, relationships, concentration, or self-care
- Relevant hospitalization records and current medication information
A detail that is easy to miss
Do not rehearse a symptom checklist as though every item must apply. Describe your actual history, including changes with treatment and variation over time. Keep a prior diagnosis and a current assessment distinguishable if they differ. If you cannot explain a sensitive experience comfortably, say so and work with the examiner rather than replacing it with a generic severity label.
Find your way around the official form
These section headings come from the linked VA PDF. Each link opens the page where the section begins. Read the form's own instructions for the full questions and any required attachments.
Who completes the clinical sections?
The healthcare provider completes the clinical assessment, identifies the records reviewed, and signs the questionnaire. You can gather records and describe symptoms and daily limitations. Measurements, diagnoses, and clinical conclusions belong to the examiner.
This form specifies examiner qualifications and supervision requirements for mental health examinations. Review the instructions on the first page with your provider before arranging completion.
A completed DBQ can help document the medical condition. Whether it also answers a particular service-connection question depends on its content and the other evidence. VA may verify the form or request another examination.
Common questions
Is this the public form to use for an initial PTSD examination?
No. The form directs PTSD evaluations to the appropriate PTSD questionnaire, and VA does not make the Initial PTSD DBQ publicly available on its list. A public PTSD Review DBQ is available for its separate purpose. These forms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Should I choose the impairment level I think fits?
The examiner makes that clinical assessment. You can prepare examples showing what happens in daily life, how often and what support or adjustments you use. Avoid treating one symptom or a phrase from a rating schedule as a complete description of your situation.
What if two diagnoses seem to cause the same difficulty?
Describe the difficulty and bring the existing assessments without trying to divide its cause yourself. The form asks the examiner whether symptoms and impairment can be differentiated. If the evidence does not allow a clear separation, the clinical assessment should explain that uncertainty rather than invent one.
Official source and editorial approach
This is Claim Raven's plain-language guide, separate from the official questionnaire. The explanation and checklist were prepared from the linked form. They help you understand and organize information; they are not an assessment of your individual claim.
Mental Disorders: official VA PDF
Printed revision: 2025-10-14 ~v25_2
Source checked: September 9, 2026
Source verification details
SHA-256 of the PDF checked for this guide:94c48c56616b2a76f23ac27162a611786f4daf37efc25dffeba05992978d8acf