Self-Assessment

A number of assessment tools are available to assist with diagnosis of a possible drinking problem. A sampling of the more common ones follow. Also, a number of web sites provide assessment information. Some are listed below and others are included in the text.
http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/common/htm (search word 'alcohol')
http://www.nih.gov (Search NIH; key words alcohol assessment)
http://www.arf.org/isd/info.html (click on Drinking Evaluation)

C.A.G.E.

  1. Have you ever thought it would be good to cut back or cut down on your drinking?
  2. Do you find that you become angry when people comment about your drinking or when people say you should stop drinking?
  3. Do you ever feel guilty after you have been drinking?
  4. Have you ever had to start the day with a drink (the hair of the dog that bit you)?

Scoring

  •   Any positive response strongly suggests problem drinking.
  •   A positive response to two or more suggests alcoholism.(Ziring & Adler,1991)
  •   Ewing (1984) found that 92% or more of men in a (substance abuse) treatment center responded positively to two or more.

Audit (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test)

Developed by the World Health Organization

  1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
    0=Never   1=Monthly or Less   2=Two to Four Times/Month   3=Two to Three Times/Week   4=Four+Times/Week

  2. How many drinks containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?
    0=None   1=One or Two   2=Three or Four   3=Five or Six   4=Seven to Nine   5=Ten or More

  3. How often do you have six or more drinks on one occasion?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  4. How often during the last year have you found that you were unable to stop drinking once you had started?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  5. How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of drinking?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  6. How often during the last year have you needed a first drink in the morning to get going after a heavy drinking session?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  7. How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  8. How often during the last year have you been unable to remember part of the night before because you had been drinking?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  9. Have you or someone else been injured as the result of your drinking?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

  10. Has a relative, friend, or health professional been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down?
    0=Never   1=Less than Monthly   2=Monthly   3=Weekly   4=Daily or Almost Daily

A person with a score of 8 or more should talk with a professional.

Assessment for Alcoholism

Alcoholism is diagnosed by specific criteria as outlined in the DSM-IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual¹, published by the American Psychiatric Association. The criteria as described in the DSM-IV is as follows:

Criteria for Substance Dependence A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment of distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period.

  1. tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
    1. a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication of desired effect
    2. markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance
  2. withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
    1. the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance (refer to Criteria A and B for the criteria sets for Withdrawal from the specific substances)
    2. the same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
  3. the substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
  4. there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use
  5. a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (e.g., visiting multiple doctors or driving long distances), use the substance (e.g., chain-smoking), or recover from its effects
  6. important social, occupation, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use
  7. the substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (e.g., current cocaine use despite recognition of cocaine-induced depression, or continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption)

1The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC. 1994 (permission requested for use)

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory

The SASSI is a copyrighted paper/pencil inventory which assesses for alcoholism. The screening takes about 10 minutes to complete and can be scored by the tester in five minutes. To take the SASSI, please contact the Office of Alcohol & Drug Education.
http://www.sassi.com