The Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test - Consumption (CUDIT-C) as a targeted tool for cannabis use screening

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and predictive utility of the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (CUDIT-C), a concise alternative to the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test - Revised (CUDIT-R), across individuals with differing levels of cannabis use.

Participants included infrequent (N = 108) and frequent cannabis users (N = 138) from two studies. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was first conducted to test a two-factor model of the CUDIT-R, hypothesizing that the first two items (CUDIT-C) load onto one factor, while the remaining items load onto a second factor related to cannabis dependence and problems. The CUDIT-C and CUDIT-R were then assessed for their ability to predict cannabis-related outcomes, including self-reported use days over the past 30 days and peak plasma delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels following acute use.

The two-factor model was a stronger fit to the data than the one-factor model. Among infrequent users, the CUDIT-C performed equivalently to the CUDIT-R. In frequent users, the CUDIT-C either matched or outperformed the CUDIT-R, including being a stronger predictor of peak THC levels, an established marker of hazardous cannabis exposure. Conclusion The CUDIT-C is a practical and effective tool for assessing cannabis use, particularly among frequent users. However, its utility may be limited for infrequent users due to restricted variability of use in this group. Future research should explore its application in clinical settings and diverse populations, as well as its potential for diagnosing cannabis use disorders.