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Validation of the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST)
Author(s) -
Humeniuk Rachel,
Ali Robert,
Babor Thomas F.,
Farrell Michael,
Formigoni Maria L.,
Jittiwutikarn Jaroon,
De Lacerda Roseli B.,
Ling Walter,
Marsden John,
Monteiro Maristela,
Nhiwatiwa Sekai,
Pal Hemraj,
Poznyak Vladimir,
Simon Sara
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02114.x
Subject(s) - alcohol use disorders identification test , construct validity , substance abuse , addiction , psychiatry , clinical psychology , test validity , medicine , mini international neuropsychiatric interview , predictive validity , concurrent validity , psychology , psychometrics , test (biology) , poison control , injury prevention , anxiety , medical emergency , paleontology , internal consistency , biology
Aim The concurrent, construct and discriminative validity of the World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) were examined in a multi‐site international study. Participants One thousand and 47 participants, recruited from drug treatment ( n = 350) and primary health care (PHC) settings ( n = 697), were administered a battery of instruments. Measurements Measures included the ASSIST; the Addiction Severity Index‐Lite (ASI‐Lite); the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS); the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI‐Plus); the Rating of Injection Site Condition (RISC); the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST); the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT); the Revised Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (RTQ); and the Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP). Findings Concurrent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between ASSIST scores and scores from the ASI‐Lite ( r = 0.76–0.88), SDS ( r = 0.59), AUDIT ( r = 0.82) and RTQ ( r = 0.78); and significantly greater ASSIST scores for those with MINI‐Plus diagnoses of abuse or dependence ( P < 0.001). Construct validity was established by significant correlations between ASSIST scores and measures of risk factors for the development of drug and alcohol problems ( r = 0.48–0.76). Discriminative validity was established by the capacity of the ASSIST to discriminate between substance use, abuse and dependence. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to establish cut‐off scores with suitable specificities (50–96%) and sensitivities (54–97%) for most substances. Conclusions The findings demonstrated that the ASSIST is a valid screening test for identifying psychoactive substance use in individuals who use a number of substances and have varying degrees of substance use.