Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
Published in: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 1/2008

Open Access 01-12-2008 | Review

Short scales to assess cannabis-related problems: a review of psychometric properties

Authors: Daniela Piontek, Ludwig Kraus, Danica Klempova

Published in: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy | Issue 1/2008

Login to get access

Abstract

Aims

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the psychometric properties of four short screening scales to assess problematic forms of cannabis use: Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT), Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) and Problematic Use of Marijuana (PUM).

Methods

A systematic computer-based literature search was conducted within the databases of PubMed, PsychINFO and Addiction Abstracts. A total of 12 publications reporting measures of reliability or validity were identified: 8 concerning SDS, 2 concerning CUDIT and one concerning CAST and PUM. Studies spanned adult and adolescent samples from general and specific user populations in a number of countries worldwide.

Results

All screening scales tended to have moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's α ranging from .72 to .92). Test-retest reliability and item total correlation have been reported for SDS with acceptable results. Results of validation studies varied depending on study population and standards used for validity assessment, but generally sensitivity, specificity and predictive power are satisfactory. Standard diagnostic cut-off points that can be generalized to different populations do not exist for any scale.

Conclusion

Short screening scales to assess dependence and other problems related to the use of cannabis seem to be a time and cost saving opportunity to estimate overall prevalences of cannabis-related negative consequences and to identify at-risk persons prior to using more extensive diagnostic instruments. Nevertheless, further research is needed to assess the performance of the tests in different populations and in comparison to broader criteria of cannabis-related problems other than dependence.
Literature
1.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): The state of the drugs problem in the Europe. Annual report Lisbon. 2007
2.
Hibell B, Andersson B, Bjarnasson T, Ahlström S, Balakireva O, Kokkevi A, Morgan M: The ESPAD report 2003. The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other drugs CAN and Council of Europe (Pompidou Group). Stockholm. 2004
3.
Vicente J, Olszewski D, Matias J: Prevalence, patterns and trends of cannabis use among adults in Europe. A cannabis reader: global issues and local experiences, Monograph series 8. 2008, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2: 6-26.
4.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA): Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. 2008, >Rockville, MD: Office of Applied Studies
5.
Hall W, Solowij N: Adverse effects of cannabis. Lancet. 1998, 352 (9140): 1611-1616. 10.1016/S0140-6736(98)05021-1.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Delile JM: Usage du cannabis: reperage et evaluation des facteurs de gravite. Rev Prat. 2005, 55: 51-63.PubMed
7.
Ries RK: The dually diagnosed patient with psychotic symptoms. J Addict Dis. 1993, 12: 103-122. 10.1300/J069v12n03_09.CrossRefPubMed
8.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): The state of the drugs problem in the European Union and Norway. Annual report. 2004, EMCDDA: Lisbon
9.
Annaheim B, Rehm J, Gmel G: How to Screen for Problematic Cannabis use in Population Surveys? An Evaluation of the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT) in a Swiss Sample of Adolescents and young Adults. Eur Addict Res.
10.
Nocon A, Wittchen HU, Pfister H, Zimmermann P, Lieb R: Dependence symptoms in young cannabis users? A prospective epidemiological study. J Psychiatr Res. 2006, 40: 394-403. 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2005.07.011.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Beck F, Legleye S: Measuring cannabis-related problems and dependence at the population level. A cannabis reader: global issues and local experiences, Monograph series 8. 2008, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Lisbon: EMCDDA, 2: 31-57.
12.
Gossop M, Darke S, Griffiths P, Hando J, Powis B, Hall W, Strang J: The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS): psychometric properties of the SDS in English and Australian samples of heroin, cocaine and amphetamine users. Addiction. 1995, 90 (5): 607-614. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1995.tb02199.x.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Adamson SJ, Sellman JD: A prototype screening instrument for cannabis use disorder: the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test (CUDIT) in an alcohol-dependent clinical sample. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2003, 22: 309-315. 10.1080/0959523031000154454.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Okulicz-Kozaryn K: Ocena psychometrycznych wlasciwosci testu "Problemowe uzywanie marihuany" (PUM) dla dorastajacych. Postepy Psychiatrii i Neurologii. 2007, 16 (2): 105-111.
15.
Legleye S, Karila L, Beck F, Reynaud M: Validation of the CAST, a general population Cannabis Abuse Screening Test. J Subst Use. 2007, 12 (4): 233-242. 10.1080/14659890701476532.CrossRef
16.
Alexander DE: A marijuana screening inventory (experimental version): description and preliminary psychometric properties. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2003, 29 (3): 619-646. 10.1081/ADA-120023462.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Miele GM, Carpenter KM, Smith CM, Trautman K, Blaine J, Hasin DS: Substance Dependence Severity Scale (SDSS): reliability and validity of a clinician-administered interview for DSM-IV substance use disorders. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2000, 59 (1): 63-75. 10.1016/S0376-8716(99)00111-8.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Copeland J, Gilmour S, Gates P, Swift W: The Cannabis Problems Questionnaire: Factor structure, reliability, and validity. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2005, 80: 313-319. 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.04.009.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Ferri CP, Marsden J, deAraujo M, Laranjeira RR, Gossop M: Validity and reliability of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in a Brazilian sample of drug users. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2000, 19: 451-455. 10.1080/713659418.CrossRef
20.
Hides L, Dawe S, Young R, Kavanagh DJ: The reliability and validity of the Severity of Dependence Scale for detecting cannabis dependence in psychosis. Addiction. 2007, 102: 35-40. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01669.x.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Kedzior KK, Badcock JC, Martin-Iverson MT: Validity and Consistency of Self-Reports Regarding Substance use in General Research Volunteers, Including Regular Cannabis Users and Schizophrenia Patients. Subst Use Misuse. 2006, 41: 743-750. 10.1080/10826080500411502.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Kedzior KK, Martin-Iverson MT: Concurrent validity of cannabis misuse diagnoses on CIDI-Auto 2.1 in low-level cannabis users from the general population. Aust J Psychol. 2007, 59 (3): 169-175.
23.
Martin G, Copeland J, Gates P, Gilmour S: The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in an adolescent population of cannabis users: Reliability, validity and diagnostic cut-off. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2006, 83: 90-93. 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.10.014.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Steiner S, Baumeister SE, Kraus L: Severity of Dependence Scale: Establishing a cut-off point for cannabis dependence in the German adult population. Sucht. 2008, 54 (S 1): S57-S63.CrossRef
25.
Swift W, Copeland J, Hall W: Choosing a diagnostic cut-off for cannabis dependence. Addiction. 1998, 93 (1): 1681-1692. 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1998.931116816.x.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Swift W, Hall W, Didcott P, Reilly D: Patterns and correlates of cannabis dependence among long-term users in an Australian rural area. Addiction. 1998, 93 (8): 1149-1160. 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1998.93811493.x.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Rothman KJ: Epidemiology. An Introduction. 2002, Oxford: Oxford University Press
28.
Knight JR, Goodman E, Pulerwitz E, DuRant RH: Reliability of the problem oriented screening instrument for teenagers (POSIT) in adolescent medical practice. J Adolesc Health. 2001, 29 (2): 125-130. 10.1016/S1054-139X(00)00206-8.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Babor T: The diagnosis of cannabis dependence. Cannabis dependence (International Research Monographs in the Addictions). Edited by: Roffman R, Marlatt GA. 2006, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 21-36.
30.
Kaye S, Darke S: Determining a diagnostic cut-off on the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) for cocaine dependence. Addiction. 2002, 97 (6): 727-731. 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00121.x.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Topp L, Mattick RP: Choosing a cut-off on the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) for amphetamine users. Addiction. 1997, 92 (7): 839-845. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1997.tb02953.x.CrossRefPubMed
32.
de la Cuevas C, Sanz EJ, de la Fuente JA, Padilla J, Berenguer JC: The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) as screening for benzodiazepine dependence: SDS validation study. Addiction. 2000, 95 (2): 245-250. 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2000.95224511.x.CrossRef
33.
Lawrinson P, Copeland J, Gerber S, Gilmour S: Determining a cut-off on the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) for alcohol dependence. Addict Behav. 2007, 32 (7): 1474-1479. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.09.005.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Rey JM, Morris-Yates A, Stanislaw H: Measuring the accuracy of diagnostic tests using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 1992, 2: 1-11.
35.
Murphy JM, Berwick DM, Weinstein MC, Borus JF, Budman SH, Klerman GL: Performance of screening and diagnostic tests: application of Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1987, 44: 550-555.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Budney AJ: Are specific dependence criteria necessary for different substances: how can research on cannabis inform this issue?. Addiction. 2006, 101 (Suppl 1): 125-133. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01582.x.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Soellner R: Dependence on cannabis – an ever lasting issue. Subst Use Misuse. 2005, 40 (6): 857-867. 10.1081/JA-200030810.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Helzer JE, Bucholz KK, Gossop M: A dimensional option for the diagnosis of substance dependence in DSM-V. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2007, 16 (Suppl 1): S24-S33. 10.1002/mpr.210.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Short scales to assess cannabis-related problems: a review of psychometric properties
Authors
Daniela Piontek
Ludwig Kraus
Danica Klempova
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy / Issue 1/2008
Electronic ISSN: 1747-597X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-597X-3-25

Other articles of this Issue 1/2008

Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 1/2008 Go to the issue

Research

Experience of road and other trauma by the opiate dependent patient: a survey report

Research

Trends in prevalence of substance use among Icelandic adolescents, 1995–2006

Research

Treatment of alcohol dependence in patients with co-morbid major depressive disorder – predictors for the outcomes with memantine and escitalopram medication

Research

High school drinking mediates the relationship between parental monitoring and college drinking: A longitudinal analysis

Methodology

Capturing doping attitudes by self-report declarations and implicit assessment: A methodology study

Research

Prevalence of nonmedical methamphetamine use in the United States