Critical issues in adolescent substance use assessment

Despite advances in methodology and instrumentation, the assessment of adolescent drug and alcohol involvement remains a complex clinical and practical process. It requires the careful and skillful implementation of procedures across a wide range of service systems and providers. While the literature identifies and provides information on singular aspects of the assessment of adolescents, few sources furnish an integrated overview of the key issues necessary for appropriate and accountable assessment. Consequently, this paper synthesizes theoretical, research, and clinical issues into a practical framework that can be used by clinical and research staff making assessment decisions. Issues discussed have been informed by the literature and by our collective experience during the 8-year development and testing of the Comprehensive Adolescent Severity Inventory (CASI).