Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness associated with several functional impairments. There has been an increasing interest in the impact of schizophrenia on functioning. The development of the Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for schizophrenia, a shortlist of 97 ICF categories that are relevant for describing functioning and disability of people living with schizophrenia, has derived from this interest.

This study aims to explore the content validity of this core set from the perspective of psychiatrists.

In a 3-round Delphi survey, psychiatrists experienced in schizophrenia treatment were asked about patients’ problems, resources and environmental factors they treat in patients with schizophrenia.

A total of 352 psychiatrists from 65 countries representing all six World Health Organization regions completed the first round questionnaire. The response rate at the third round was 86%. Answers were linked to 422 ICF categories. Of all these, 109 ICF categories reached consensus (≥75% agreement) at the third round. Eighty-seven out of the 97 ICF categories that form the comprehensive ICF core set for schizophrenia were represented in this list. All the comprehensive ICF core set for schizophrenia categories reached consensus except five categories.

The content validity of the comprehensive ICF core set for schizophrenia from the perspective of psychiatrists was largely supported. However, further research is needed including other health professionals (e.g., psychologists, nurses and occupational therapists) to further obtain new content validity evidences.