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28 - Assessment of Substance Use Disorders

from Part III - Assessment and Diagnosis of Specific Mental Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2019

By
James Langenbucher
Edited by
Martin Sellbom  and
Julie A. Suhr
Martin Sellbom
Affiliation:
University of Otago, New Zealand
Julie A. Suhr
Affiliation:
Ohio University
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Summary

Addressing important problems and processes in the assessment of substance use disorders (SUDs), this chapter reviews the types of information necessary for a formal diagnosis of a DSM-5 SUD. In addition, the chapter discusses seven assessment areas that must be examined if a given case is to be well evaluated. These include clinical history, strength of dependence syndrome, impaired volitional control, craving, neuroadaptation, negative consequences and pathological patterns, and stage of change. The origin and research background of each of these constructs are briefly outlined, a favored assessment tool for each is reviewed in detail, and alternative measures are also suggested. The assessment of SUDs is a multidimensional, complex process for which many excellent tools have been, and are still being, developed.

Keywords

alcoholismcravingdependence syndromediagnosisdrug abuseDSM-5loss of controlneuroadaptation
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis , pp. 385 - 397
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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