Question

For the Dast-20 drug assessment screening test, how do you interpret the results/ how long does it take?

Answer 1

This tool was found to be correct about 75 percent of the time, according to one study. No validity data is available for the DAST-20 at this time. One review finds that the DAST - 20 is very useful for identifying minimal and heavy substance users; however, this same review states that the DAST - 20 is probably not the best option for screening individuals with moderate substance abuse issues.

Description / Type of Assessment

This 20-item instrument may be given in either a self-report or in a structured interview format; a "yes" or "no" response is requested from each of 20 questions. It is constructed similarly to the earlier Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), and the DAST items tend to parallel those of the MAST.

Primary use / Purpose:

The purpose of the DAST is 1) to provide a brief, simple, practical, but valid method for identifying individuals who are abusing psychoactive drugs; and 2) to yield a quantitative index score of the degree of problems related to drug use and misuse. DAST scores are highly diagnostic with respect to a DSM diagnosis of psychoactive drug dependence.

Domains measured / Life Areas / Problems Assessed:

It obtains no information on the various types of drugs used, or on the frequency or duration of the drug use. There is a question regarding multiple drug use, and some of the types of problems caused by drug use/abuse in the following life areas are surveyed: marital-family relationships, social relationships, employment, legal, and physical (medical symptoms and conditions). A brief examination of the individual item responses indicates the specific life problem areas.

Population:

Adults. A form of the DAST has been adapted for use by adolescents (the word "work" has been replaced by "school"). Sixth grade, minimum, of reading level for use of the self-report form of the DAST.

Scoring Procedures:

A factor analysis of the 20 items has indicated that the DAST is essentially a uni-dimensional scale. Accordingly, it is planned to yield only one total or summary score ranging from 0 to 20, which is computed by summing all items that are endorsed in the direction of increased drug problems. Only two items are keyed for a "No" response: "Can you get through the week without using drugs?" and "Are you always able to stop using drugs when you want to?" A DAST score of six or above is suggested for case finding purposes, since most of the clients in the normative sample score six or greater. It is also suggested that a score of 16 or greater be considered to indicate a very severe abuse or a dependency condition.

Credentials/Training:

For a qualified drug counselor, only a careful reading and adherence to the instructions in the "DAST Guidelines for Administration and Scoring," which is provided, is required. No other training is required.

Source of Psychometrics:

An internal consistency coefficient of .92 was obtained for a sample of 256 drug/alcohol abuse clients. Adequate concurrent or convergent validity was reported to have been demonstrated by the fact that the DAST attained 85 percent overall accuracy in classifying clients according to DSM-III diagnosis, and also to have been demonstrated by significant correlations of the DAST scores with frequency of various types of drugs used during the preceding 12 months.