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New data from the Addiction Severity Index. Reliability and validity in three centers.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|July 1, 1985
Summary
The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing alcohol and drug treatment needs. This clinical instrument accurately measures patient problems across diverse populations and treatment settings.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is a widely used clinical and research tool.
- Previous evaluations suggested reliability and validity in male veterans.
- Expanded examination was needed to confirm these properties across broader samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an expanded examination of the reliability and validity of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI).
- To assess the ASI's consistency and accuracy in measuring treatment problems in alcohol- and drug-abusing patients.
- To evaluate the ASI's performance across diverse patient subgroups and treatment centers.
Main Methods:
- Concurrent reliability studies with trained technicians.
- Test-retest reliability studies over a 3-day interval with different interviewers.
- Comparisons of ASI ratings with validated tests for concurrent and discriminant validity.
Main Results:
- High average concordance (.89) between trained technicians.
- Consistent ASI information over a 3-day interval, irrespective of interviewer.
- Evidence of concurrent and discriminant validity, with consistent results across patient subgroups (age, race, sex, primary drug, treatment center).
Conclusions:
- The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing patient treatment problems.
- The ASI has broad clinical and research applications.
- Potential advantages include predicting treatment outcomes, comparing treatments, and matching patients to therapies.