Sebastian Moore appeals the decision of the district court 1 аffirming the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security to deny his applications for supplemental security income. For the reasons discussed below, we affirm.
Moore, who was a minor when his original applications for benefits were filed, has been diagnosed since childhood with various mentаl and behavioral impairments. He also suffers from aphakia, the absence of the lens, in his left eye. The extensive record in this case shows that Moore was frequently in trouble at school for truancy, alcohol and marijuana use, fighting, vandalism, and general defiance of authority. Socially, he was characterized as having a “poor attitude” toward other students. On the other hand, he participated in high school team sports such as football and basketball. He received a regular high school diploma with the assistance of special resource classes. After high school, he continued to play basketball with friends, and he participated in church activities. He also attended college, but his studies were interrupted by his arrest and incarceration for cocaine distribution.
As discussed in more detail below, Moore was evaluated by psychologists on several ocсasions throughout his childhood and early adulthood. On a multitude of IQ tests, he scored within the range of 71 to 84. This range is characterized as “borderline intellectual functioning” and is considered to be one step above mild retardation. Occasionally, he received a component IQ score in thе high 60s, a range associated with mild retardation. Different practitioners rated various aspects of Moore’s ability to function in a workplace as suffering anywhere from “slight” to “marked” impairment.
Moore’s mother filed applications for supplemental security income on Moore’s behаlf in 1994 and in 1998. Both applications were denied by the Commissioner. The district court vacated and remanded the Commissioner’s decision on the 1994 application due to the absence of certain exhibits from the record, Moore v. Barnhart, No. 98-cv-63 (E.D.Ark. Jul. 18, 2002), and vacated and remanded the Commissioner’s decision on the 1998 aрplication on the agreement of the parties to develop the medical record, Moore v. Barnhart, No. 01-cv-152 (E.D.Ark. Oct. 7, 2002). The Commissioner eventually consolidated the two applications. After conducting a hearing in November 2007, an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) denied both applications again, resulting in the decision on appeal here. Because Moore reached eighteen years of age in March 2003, the ALJ denied benefits under the childhood disability standard prior to March 2003 and under the adult disability standard thereafter. As Moore does not appeal the denial of childhood benefits, we address thе decision only as it pertains to adult benefits.
With regard to the adult disability standard, the ALJ applied the familiar five-step process prescribed by the Social Security regulations for supplemental security income.
See
20 C.F.R. § 416.920(a)(4). The ALJ first found that Moore had not engaged in substantial gainful activity.
See
§ 416.920(a)(4)(i). The ALJ also found thаt Moore had the severe impairments of aphakia in the left eye, borderline intellectual functioning, learning disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and adjustment disorder with depressed mood, but that these impairments did not meet or medically equal a listed impairment.
See
§ 416.920(a)(4)(ii), (iii). The ALJ determined Moore’s residual functional capacity,
see
§ 416.920(a)(4)(iv), (e), to include the full range of work at all exertional levels, with the following nonexertional limitations: must avoid work that requires very good vision; has sufficient visual acuity to handle and work with large objects and avoid ordinary workplace hazards; able to handle simple job instructions; able to interact with supervisors, coworkers, and the
On appeal to the district court, with respect to the denial of adult benefits, Moore argued that (1) the ALJ erred in failing to find that Moore met a certain disability listing based on mental retardation; (2) the ALJ’s hypothetical to the vocational expert misstated Moore’s residual functional capacity by failing to incorporate certain limitations found by two examining psychologists, Dr. Maddock and Dr. DeRoeck; and (3) the DOT descriptions of the jobs identified by the vocational expert were in conflict with certain limitations in the hypothetical. The district court held that the Commissioner’s decision was supported by substantial evidence. Now, on aрpeal to this Court, Moore only renews his challenges to the hypothetical and the jobs identified by the vocational expert.
II. DISCUSSION
“We review
de novo
a district court decision upholding the denial of social security benefits.”
Lauer v. Apfel,
First, Moore contends that the medical opiniоns of Dr. Maddock and Dr. DeRoeck, the only two psychologists to examine him as an adult, demand a finding that he is in incapable of interacting with supervisors, coworkers, and the general public. The ALJ’s residual functional capacity finding stated that Moore could interact with supervisors, coworkers, and the general public on an “infrequent basis.” Although the ALJ must consider all relevant evidence, rather than just evidence from medical professionals, the record must contain at least some medical evidence to support the ALJ’s determination of residual functional capacity.
Lauer,
Dr. Maddock examined Moore in June 2003 and rated Moore’s ability to “Deal with Public” and “Interact with Supervisors)” as “None,” and his ability to “Relate to Co-Workers” as “Poor.” However, Dr. DeRoeck examined Moore in May 2005 and concluded that Moore had only
In addition to the checklist-based ratings provided by the examining psychologists, other evidence supports the ALJ’s determination that Moore was at least capable of “infrequent” interaction with potential coworkers and supervisors and the general public. For example, Dr. Mad-dock noted at the 2003 examination that Moore “is able to maintain appropriate behavior when he is in the presence of his peers,” that it “was easy to get him to laugh,” and that he “has a predictable sense of humor.” Dr. DeRoeck noted at the 2005 examination that Moore “attends church and is involved with the church family” and “play[s] sports at a local park with friends,” and he noted at the 2007 examination that Moore “has been involved in some kitchen work” and continued to participate in interactive activities such as basketball and card-playing while in prison. In this case, the ALJ’s determination that Moore was capable of interacting with supervisors, coworkers, and the general publiс on an “infrequent” basis, rather than not at all, is supported by substantial evidence in the record as a whole.
See Page,
Second, Moore argues that the ALJ should have included additional limitations in his residual functional capacity based on Dr. Maddock’s June 2003 evaluation. Dr. Maddock rated Moore’s ability to follow work rules, use judgment, deal with work stress, and function independently as “None,” and he rated Moore’s ability to maintain attention and concentration as “Poor.” The ALJ instead found that Moore had the residual functional capacity to “adapt to infrequent work changes” and to perform “simple, routinе and repetitive work activity at the unskilled task level,” and omitted any further limitations regarding work rules, use of judgment, work stress, or independent functioning.
Again, the record contains medical evidence to support the ALJ’s position. For example, in May 2005, Dr. DeRoeck found that despite certain “ ‘lapses’ of sustained attention,” Moore “was attentive, able to remain on task.” Dr. DeRoeck concluded that Moore had only “slight” limitations in his ability to make simple work-related judgments and “moderate” limitations in his ability to respond appropriately to work pressures. In his subsequent examination of Moore in Januаry 2007, Dr. DeRoeck noted that Moore’s “persistence in completion of tasks is favorable, though relatively slowed,” and that he “may do
Finally, Moore argues that there is not substantial evidence in the record to support the ALJ’s finding that jobs exist in the national economy which Moore could perform. In particular, Moore argues that the DOT descriptions of the jobs identified by the vocational expert were in conflict with certain limitations in the hypothetical. Among other limitations, the hypothetical stated that the individual has “a 12th grade education with assistance by resоurce classes” and that he is capable of “carrying out simple job instructions” and performing “simple, routine and repetitive work activity at the unskilled task level.” In response, the vocational expert identified the occupations of Hand Packager and Laundry Worker. According to the DOT, thоse occupations each require “Level 2” reasoning, defined as the ability to “[a]pply commonsense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.” DOT at 1011. 2 Moore contends that the hypothetical could only be satisfied by occupations requiring “Level 1” reasoning, defined in the DOT as the ability to “[a]pply commonsense understanding to carry out simple one- or two-step instructions.” Id.
The ALJ did not err in relying on the vocational expert’s testimony. In the hypothetical, the ALJ did not limit “simple” job instructions to “simple one- or two-step instructions” or otherwise indicate that Moore could perform only occupations at a DOT Level 1 reasoning level. Indeed, the Level 2 reasoning definition refers to “detailed but uninvolved ” instructions. DOT at 1011 (emphasis added). The dictionary defines “uninvolved” as “not involved,” and in turn defines “involved” as “complicated, intricate.” Webster’s Third New Int’l Dictionary 1191, 2499 (2002). There is no direct conflict between “carrying out simple job instructions” for “simple, routine and repetitive work activity,” as in the hypothetical, and the vocational expert’s identification of occupations involving instructions that, while potentially detailed, are not complicated or intricate.
Moreover, the Level 2 reasoning definition is an upper limit aсross all jobs in the occupational category, not a requirement of every job within the category. “[A] claimant’s reliance on the
DOT
as a definitive authority on job requirements is misplaced because
DOT
definitions are simply generic job descriptions that offer the approximate maximum rеquirements for each position, rather than their range.”
Page,
After considering all of the evidence in the record, including both that which supports and that which detracts from the ALJ’s decision,
see Cox,
III. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the district court’s judgment affirming the ALJ’s decision to deny supplemental security income.
Notes
. The Honorable Jerry W. Caveneau, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas, presiding by consent of the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).
. Page references are to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (4th ed. 1991).