SSA-3368 Adult Disability Report: How to Fill Out the Form at 18

Form SSA-3368 is the document that tells the Social Security Administration how a disability affects daily life and work capacity. For young adults going through the age-18 SSI redetermination or applying for adult SSI for the first time, this form is often the difference between approval and denial — not because it replaces medical evidence, but because it provides the functional context that medical records alone do not capture.

The form is long, the questions are repetitive by design, and the way you answer them matters more than most families realize.

What the SSA Is Looking For

The Adult Disability Report collects information about medical conditions, treatment history, work history, education, and — critically — what the person can and cannot do in daily life. The SSA uses this to build a picture of the applicant's "residual functional capacity" — what they are still able to do despite their disability.

The disability examiner reads this form alongside the medical records. When the form says "I can cook simple meals" but the medical records show severe cognitive impairment, the examiner has to reconcile the inconsistency. Conversely, when the form provides specific, detailed descriptions of functional limitations that align with the clinical evidence, the case is straightforward to evaluate.

The goal is not to exaggerate or minimize. The goal is to document the truth with enough specificity that the examiner understands what daily life actually looks like for this person.

Section-by-Section Guidance

Section 1-3: Identifying Information and Conditions

List every diagnosed medical condition — not just the primary one. Include mental health diagnoses, learning disabilities, chronic pain, seizure disorders, and any condition that limits function. The SSA evaluates the combined effect of all conditions, not each one in isolation.

If the person has not been formally diagnosed with a condition that clearly affects their function, note the symptoms anyway and identify the treating provider who can document them.

Section 4: Medical Treatment

List every provider — physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, hospitals, clinics — with dates of treatment. Include providers from the last 12 months when available, while also listing providers with relevant longitudinal records. If treatment has been limited, explain the circumstances and identify the records that are available.

For young adults aging out of pediatric care, list both the pediatric providers (who have the longitudinal history) and any new adult providers. The transition between providers often creates a documentation gap that hurts applications.

Sections 5-6: Work History and Education

For young adults at 18, work history may be minimal or nonexistent — that is fine. If the person has worked, describe what the job involved and why they stopped. If they were fired or could not maintain employment due to disability-related issues, say so directly.

Education section: list the highest grade completed and any special education services received. If the person has an IEP, note it. If they received a certificate of attendance rather than a diploma, note that distinction as part of the education history.

Section 7: Daily Activities — The Most Important Section

This is where most applicants undermine their own case. The questions ask about cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, shopping, managing money, social activities, and following instructions. Families tend to answer with what the person can do on their best day, often out of pride or habit.

Answer with specific, honest descriptions of what support the person actually needs:

Instead of: "She can shower on her own." Write: "She can shower independently but needs verbal reminders to use soap and wash her hair. Without prompting, she will stand under the water for 20 minutes without washing. She cannot adjust the water temperature safely — we set it for her before she gets in."

Instead of: "He can make food." Write: "He can make a sandwich or heat leftovers in the microwave. He cannot use the stove or oven without supervision because he has left burners on three times in the last year. He cannot follow a recipe with more than three steps."

Instead of: "She handles money okay." Write: "She can pay for items with a debit card at a register but does not understand change, cannot calculate whether she has enough money for a purchase, and has been taken advantage of by peers who ask to borrow money and do not return it."

The examiner needs these details to score functional limitations accurately. General statements like "does okay" or "needs some help" do not give them enough information to work with.

Section 8: Remarks

Use this section to describe anything the form did not ask about. Common additions:

• Safety concerns (wandering, impulsive behavior, inability to recognize danger)
• Behavioral episodes that require management
• The impact of sensory sensitivities on daily function
• How the disability affects social relationships and community participation
• Any recent changes in the person's condition

Common Mistakes

Answering too briefly. One-word answers ("no," "sometimes," "a little") do not help the examiner. Every question is an opportunity to provide specific functional detail.

Describing the best day instead of the worst or typical day. The SSA is assessing what support the person needs, not what they can sometimes manage in ideal conditions.

Leaving treatment sections incomplete. Missing provider information can make it harder for SSA to obtain or evaluate evidence, so explain any gaps and identify available records.

Not mentioning mental health. If the person has anxiety, depression, PTSD, or behavioral challenges alongside a developmental disability, these conditions compound functional limitations. List them.

Submit the Form With Your Evidence Package

The SSA-3368 does not stand alone. Attach or submit alongside it:

• Authorization to Disclose Information (Form SSA-827) for each provider
• Medical records from the last 12 months
• Psychological or neuropsychological evaluations
• School IEP documents and transition assessments
• Letters from treating providers describing functional limitations

The Minnesota SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a completed SSA-3368 example showing how to document functional limitations effectively, alongside the full evidence-gathering checklist for the age-18 redetermination.

See more Minnesota guides →