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Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test
Dimension: Case detection
Area
Screening
Specificity
Alcohol
Year
1971
Author
Selzer, M. L.
Identification and Classification
- Instrument
-
Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test
- Acronym
-
MAST
- Area
-
Screening
- Dimension
-
Case detection
- Specificity
-
Alcohol
- Objective
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Detection of problems related to alcohol use and measurement of their severity.
- Factors it measures
-
NI
- Year
-
1971
- Author
-
Selzer, M. L.
- Availability
-
https://outcometracker.org/library/MAST.pdf
- Link
Description
- Abstract
-
Instrument that seeks to identify the extent of alcohol abuse by administering 25 questions of a dichotomous \ YES /NO \ response nature "and can be presented in print or applied in CD-ROM format and interview and self-administration format. It collects information on use and associated negative consequences. "
- Psychometric characteristics
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The test-retest reliability after one day of interval is 0.97, after two days is 0.86 and after 3 days is 0.85. It shows good correlation with other instruments such as the Alcohol Dependence Scale (0,79); the Veterans Alcoholism Screening Test, the CAGE and the MMPI and the current diagnosis of alcohol problems according to DSM-III (0.65); with the diagnosis of alcohol problems throughout life according DSM-III (0.58); and alcohol-related symptoms (0,72). Overall, the test has been rejected in populations living in countries with a highly developed wine culture.
- No. of items
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13
- Way of administration
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Administered by unskilled personnel. Between 5 and 8 minutes.
- Way of qualification
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The estimated rating time is five minutes. Positive responses are scored with 1 point, except that concerning having suffered delirium tremens that is scored with 5 and the one refered to arrests and detentions related to alcohol (2 points each arrest). There are various interpretations, depending on the use we want to give the test. It has been used as a clinical screening tool, whereby the cutting point 7-8 discriminates well between probable alcoholics and non-alcoholics, considering the total scale score as a continuous measure of severity of the drinking problem. In general, the total score ranges from 0 to 35. A score between 0 and 4 indicates the absence of alcoholism, between 5 and 6 suggests possible alcoholism and 7 indicates probable alcoholism.
- Application context
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Clinical
- Population
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Psychiatric patients, adults, elderly and adolescents.
- References
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"Selzer M.L. (1971) .The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test: The quest for a new diagnostic instrument. Am Psychiatry, 127: 1653-1658 "