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Reliability and validity of the Addiction Severity Index with a homeless sample
D A Zanis1, A T McLellan, R A Cnaan
1Penn-VA Center for Studies of Addiction, Philadelphia 19104.
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|November 1, 1994
Summary
The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) shows acceptable reliability and validity for assessing homeless substance users, despite some limitations. This instrument is valuable for understanding the needs of this underserved population.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is a common tool for assessing substance users in treatment.
- Its psychometric properties are well-established for this population.
- However, its utility for non-treatment-seeking subgroups, like homeless individuals, is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and validity of the ASI in a sample of homeless substance users.
- To determine if the ASI is a suitable instrument for this specific population.
Main Methods:
- The study included 98 homeless individuals awaiting housing.
- Test-retest reliability was assessed across seven ASI domains.
- Concurrent validity was examined for alcohol, drug, and psychiatric composite scores.
Main Results:
- The ASI demonstrated moderate to high test-retest reliability in all domains.
- Concurrent validity was moderate for alcohol, drug, and psychiatric measures.
- Interitem correlations were generally strong, except for employment and family domains.
Conclusions:
- The ASI exhibits acceptable reliability and validity for use with homeless substance users.
- While some limitations exist, the ASI can be a valuable tool for assessing this population.
- Further research may refine ASI application for diverse substance-using groups.