The validity of the MAST in psychiatric settings: a meta-analytic integration. Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test

Assessment of alcohol-related problems is essential in psychiatric settings. The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) has been the most commonly evaluated self-report alcohol assessment tool in psychiatric settings. However, due to a large variation in reports of findings and conclusions, a clear understanding of the utility of the MAST in psychiatric settings continues to be elusive. Therefore, the major goals of this investigation were (1) to integrate the available information pertaining to the validity of the MAST when used in psychiatric settings, and (2) to investigate factors that may moderate the performance of the MAST.

Using clinically determined alcohol-related diagnosis as a criterion, a meta-analytic integration of nine published studies investigating the criterion validity of the MAST in psychiatric settings is presented.

Findings revealed that the MAST is significantly valid when used in psychiatric settings. However, sensitivity estimates were found to be of greater magnitude than specificity estimates. Further, validity estimates of the MAST were found to be higher in psychiatric samples that had a greater proportion of women and in samples that exhibited higher base rates of alcohol-use disorder.

Results of this integration support the continued use of the MAST in psychiatric settings as a screening instrument and suggest that those who administer the MAST must be attentive to particular characteristics of respondents.