The Use of an Alcoholism Screening Test to Identify the Potential for Alcoholism in Persons on Methadone Maintenance

Abstract

Alcoholism has become a problem of increasing prominence in persons enrolled in methadone maintenance programs. Since early identification of the potential problem drinker may result in successful intervention, a method to screen individuals applying for admission to methadone maintenance who have a proclivity toward alcoholism would be of great value. A modified self-administered alcoholism screening test (SAAST), previously confirmed to identify “hidden alcoholics” in a general nonnarcotic-using population, was utilized as a screening device in three groups of narcotic-dependent persons on methadone maintenance: 30 individuals who had a known problem with alcoholism, 30 individuals without any history or signs of alcoholism over an extended time period, and 80 persons entering methadone maintenance who initially denied any problems with excessive drinking. The ability of the modified SAAST to separate the alcoholic from the nonalcoholic narcotic addict was confirmed (p < 0.001). This test was also found to have considerable predictive value in determining those individuals initially denying a history of excessive alcohol intake who become problem drinkers.