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Validity of the Drug Use Screening Inventory for Predicting DSM-III-R Substance Use Disorder

NCJ Number
192616
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: 2001 Pages: 45-53
Author(s)
Ralph E. Tarter; Levent Kirisci
Date Published
2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study used the Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI) to predict substance abuse among boys.
Abstract
A significant challenge facing researchers is identifying the subset of individuals in the population who will develop substance abuse disorder (SUD). Psychometric measures have not been developed that may accurately identify youth most likely to move from drug consumption to SUD. The Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI) assesses the severity of psychological, psychiatric, health, and social problems. Its predictive validity however, has never been established. This longitudinal study documented the DUSI’s ability to predict substance use disorder at age 19 based on scores obtained at ages 12-14 and 16. The sample consisted of 354 males between 12- 14 years of age. The DUSI measures severity of disturbance ranging from 0-100 percent in 10 areas: 1) substance abuse, 2) behavior patterns, 3) health, 4) psychiatric disturbance, 5) psychiatric disorder, 6) family adjustment, 7) school adjustment, 8) peer relations, 9) social competence, and, 10) leisure and recreation. The results showed that an overall problems severity score of 24 percent at ages 12-14 and 16 predicted a DSM-III-R substance use disorder outcome at age 19 with 73 percent and 84 percent accuracy, respectively. Parental history did not increase prediction of SUD outcome in the youth. As expected, predictive accuracy increased as the subjects became older. Taking into account the fact DUSI takes only 20 minutes to complete and 5 minutes to score, it may be a highly useful and efficient method of screening a large number of youth. Tables, references