Drug Abuse Screen Test (DAST-10)

Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS) was developed in 1960’s as an established instrument for neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP). The Simpson-Angus scale was devised to measure drug-induced parkinsonism in a predominantly schizophrenic population. It The Drug Abuse Screen Test (DAST-10) was designed to provide a brief, age agnostic, self-report instrument for population screening of drug use. The DAST-10 is a 10-item self-report instrument that has been condensed from the 28-item DAST. It was created in 1982 by Harvey Skinner, PhD and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. The DAST-10 validity and reliability have been well studied and it is widely used worldwide. The DAST tended to have moderate to high levels of test-retest, interitem, and item-total reliabilities. The DAST-10 also tended to have moderate to high levels of validity, sensitivity, and specificity.

The DAST-10 yields a quantitative index of the degree of consequences related to drug abuse, and provides suggestions for clinical treatment. The instrument takes approximately 5 minutes to administer and may be given in either a self-report or interview format. Guidelines for interpreting DAST-10 scores and recommended actions are also available. A score of 3 or more on the DAST-10 indicates the likelihood of substance abuse or dependence. However a diagnosis would need to be established by conducting a further diagnostic assessment, as the DAST-10 is ideal for use as a screening tool.

References

Skinner HA. The drug abuse screening test. Addict Behav. 1982;7(4):363-371.
Shirinbayan P, Salavati M, Soleimani F, et al. The psychometric properties of the drug abuse screening test. Addict Health. 2020;12(1):25-33.
Yudko E, Lozhkina O, Fouts A. A comprehensive review of the psychometric properties of the Drug Abuse Screening Test. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2007;32(2):189-198.