Non-Confidential Summary

Market Need

The DAST-20 with its additional 10 items provides a broader assessment of content areas intended for clinical assessment and research purposes. This 20-item instrument may be given in either a self-report or in a structured interview format; the client replies “yes” or “no” to each of 20 questions. The purpose of the DAST is to provide a brief, simple, practical, but valid method for identifying individuals who are abusing psychoactive drugs. Additionally, it yields a quantitative index score of the degree of problems related to drug use and misuse. It obtains no information on the various types of drugs used, or on the frequency or duration of the drug use. There is a question regarding multiple drug use, and some of the types of problems caused by drug use/abuse in the following life areas are surveyed: marital-family relationships, social relationships, employment, legal, and physical (medical symptoms and conditions). A brief examination of the individual item responses indicates the specific life problem areas.

Technology Description

This 20-item instrument may be given in either a self-report or in a structured interview format. The client replies “yes” or “no” to each of the 20 questions. Available digitally or in pad form with scoring.

Stage of Development

Validated in 1982 and has been validated since in a wide range of languages.

Advantages

Validated in multiple languages. With its additional 10 items provides a broader assessment of content areas intended for clinical assessment and research purposes. Brief and inexpensive to administer. May be given in either a self-report or in a structured interview format in a range of settings such as: healthcare, workplace, social services, education, criminal justice – corrections. The DAST provides a quantitative index of the extent of problems related to drug abuse. Therefore moving beyond the identification of a drug problem and obtaining a reliable estimate of the degree of problem severity. DAST scores can be used to corroborate information gained by other assessment sources (e.g. clinical interview or laboratory tests). The routine administration of the DAST provides a convenient device of recording the extent of problems associated with drug abuse. It ensures that relevant questions regarding consequences of drug abuse are asked of all clients. The DAST can provide a reference standard for monitoring changes in client population over time, as well as for comparing clients at different assessment centers.

Notable Publications

Skinner, HA: The Drug Abuse Screening Test. Addictive Behaviors, 1982, 7, 363-371.

Gavin, DR; Ross, HE; and Skinner HA: Diagnostic validity of the DAST in the assessment of DSM-Ill drug disorders. British Journal of Addiction, 1989, 84, 301-371.