THE CHEMICAL USE, ABUSE, AND DEPENDENCE SCALE (CUAD) - RATIONALE, RELIABILITY, AND VALIDITY

This article describes the rationale for the development of the Chemical Use, Abuse, and Dependence Scale (CUAD). The instrument is in a semistructured interview format; it derives both substance use severity scores and DSM-III-R substance use disorder diagnoses and can be administered in a short period with minimal training. The reliability and validity of the CUAD are reported and appear satisfactory. The CUAD is recommended for use as a detection, diagnostic, and treatment selection index in clinical, research, and program evaluation contexts.