Inmagic DB/Text WebPublisher PRO: 1 records

1. Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS)

Year: 2000

Developers:
Miele, Gloria M.; Carpenter, Kenneth M.; Cockerham, Melissa S.; Trautman, Krisitin D.; Blaine, Jack; Hasin, Deborah S.

Description:
The SDSS is a semi-structured, clinician-administered interview that assesses DSM-IV dependence and abuse and ICD-10 harmful use for alcohol and other drugs for the previous 30 days. It assesses frequency and severity of symptoms. The SDSS consists of 7-10 screening questions for alcohol and each drug category and 13 symptom items.

The SDSS is useful in clinical settings because it has been designed to provide an indication of recent severity of substance abuse and dependence on alcohol, specifically by drug type. It also offers unique advantages as a measure of treatment outcome that may be more sensitive to changes in clinical status than outcome measures routinely used, such as self-report substance use, urinalysis results, or diagnostic status. In research settings, the SDSS can be used as a baseline and follow-up measure in alcoholism and drug abuse treatment studies and other studies requiring quantification of severity keyed specifically to DSM-IV or ICD-10 criteria.

The SDSS is available in pencil-and-paper and interview formats and can be administered by a clinician in 30-45 minutes.

In a study comparing 5 diagnostic instruments (SCID, CIDI-2, DIS-IV, DSM-IV Checklist, SDSS) for suitability for use in the CTN Clinical Trials Network, the SDSS was ranked 5th (Forman et al 2004). An 11-item "Lite" version of this scale has also been used in CTN research.

Instrument Use & Availability

This instrument is not copyrighted. There is no cost for use.

For more information, contact:
Deborah Hasin, Ph.D.
tel: 212-923-8862

Gloria Miele, Ph.D.
tel: 212-523-7722

Permanent URL for this page:
http://bit.ly/SDSS_inst

Instrument Details:

Source Reference:	Miele GM ; Carpenter KM ; Cockerham MS ; Trautman KD ; Blaine J ; Hasin DS. Concurrent and predictive validity of the Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS). Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2000;59:77-88. Miele GM ; Carpenter KM ; Cockerham MS ; Trautman KD ; Blaine J ; Hasin DS. Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS) : Reliability and validity of a clinician-administered interview for DSM-IV substance use disorders. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2000;59:63-75. Conway KP; Levy J; Vanyukov M; Chandler R; Rutter J; Swan GE; Neale M. Measuring addiction propensity and severity: the need for a new instrument. [Review] Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2010;111(1-2):4-12.
Population studied:	Adults; Adolescents
Instrument Type:	Clinician-administered interview; Assessment; Outcome evaluation
Recommended By:	NIAAA
Administration/Scoring:	This instrument should be administered by a trained clinician. Training costs depend on size of group and circumstances. The SDSS can be scored by hand using a scoring key or by computer in minimal time. Norms are not available for this instrument.
Validity/Reliability:	Reliability studies have been done using test-retest and internal consistency measures. Validity studies have also been done, using measures of criterion (predictive, concurrent, "postdictive") and construct.

Supporting References:

Carpenter KM ; Miele GM ; Hasin DS. Does motivation to change mediate the effect of DSM-IV substance use disorders on treatment utilization and substance use? Addiction Behaviors 2002;27:207-225.
Forman RF, Svikis D, Montoya ID, Blaine J. Selection of a substance use disorder diagnostic instrument by the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2004 Jul;27(1):1-8.
Miele GM ; Carpenter KM ; Cockerham MS ; Trautman KD ; Blaine J ; Hasin DS. Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS) : Reliability and validity of ICD-10 substance use disorders. Addictive Behaviors 2001;26:603-612.

Other Resources:

NIAAA's Assessing Alcohol Problems