SASSI: application and assessment for substance-related problems

Abstract

Substance misuse has a devastating impact on the individual, family members, and society as a whole. Despite its pervasive nature, substance misuse is frequently not identified as a problem. It therefore remains unaddressed and impedes progress toward amelioration of related social problems such as health care, crime and poverty. Human service agencies that serve high-risk people cannot provide comprehensive assessments for all clients. However, screening procedures can be used to identify high-risk individuals so they can be referred for further assessment and possible treatment. The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) is a screening instrument that is effective in identifying people who have a high likelihood of having a substance-related disorder, even if they are unable or unwilling to acknowledge relevant symptomatology. The SASS1 is an empirically developed, criterion-based instrument and has approximately an 88% rate of accuracy.