Sharon Levy1, Roger Weiss2, Lon Sherritt3, Rosemary Ziemnik4, Allegra Spalding5, Shari Van Hook6, Lydia A Shrier7. 1. Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts2Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts3Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts5Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts. 3. Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts3Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts6Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts2Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 5. Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 6. Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts2Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts3Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts6Center for. 7. Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts7Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Screening adolescents for substance use and intervening immediately can reduce the burden of addiction and substance-related morbidity. Several screening tools have been developed to identify problem substance use for adolescents, but none have been calibrated to triage adolescents into clinically relevant risk categories to guide interventions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the psychometric properties of an electronic screen and brief assessment tool that triages adolescents into 4 actionable categories regarding their experience with nontobacco substance use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Adolescent patients (age range, 12-17 years) arriving for routine medical care at 2 outpatient primary care centers and 1 outpatient center for substance use treatment at a pediatric hospital completed an electronic screening tool from June 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013, that consisted of a question on the frequency of using 8 types of drugs in the past year (Screening to Brief Intervention). Additional questions assessed severity of any past-year substance use. Patients completed a structured diagnostic interview (Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module), yielding Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) substance use diagnoses. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: For the entire screen and the Screening to Brief Intervention, sensitivity and specificity for identifying nontobacco substance use, substance use disorders, severe substance use disorders, and tobacco dependence were calculated using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module as the criterion standard. RESULTS: Of 340 patients invited to participate, 216 (63.5%) enrolled in the study. Sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 84% (95% CI, 76%-89%) for identifying nontobacco substance use, 90% (95% CI, 77%-96%) and 94% (95% CI, 89%-96%) for substance use disorders, 100% and 94% (95% CI, 90%-96%) for severe substance use disorders, and 75% (95% CI, 52%-89%) and 98% (95% CI, 95%-100%) for nicotine dependence. No significant differences were found in sensitivity or specificity between the full tool and the Screening to Brief Intervention. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A single screening question assessing past-year frequency use for 8 commonly misused categories of substances appears to be a valid method for discriminating among clinically relevant risk categories of adolescent substance use.
IMPORTANCE: Screening adolescents for substance use and intervening immediately can reduce the burden of addiction and substance-related morbidity. Several screening tools have been developed to identify problem substance use for adolescents, but none have been calibrated to triage adolescents into clinically relevant risk categories to guide interventions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the psychometric properties of an electronic screen and brief assessment tool that triages adolescents into 4 actionable categories regarding their experience with nontobacco substance use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Adolescent patients (age range, 12-17 years) arriving for routine medical care at 2 outpatient primary care centers and 1 outpatient center for substance use treatment at a pediatric hospital completed an electronic screening tool from June 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013, that consisted of a question on the frequency of using 8 types of drugs in the past year (Screening to Brief Intervention). Additional questions assessed severity of any past-year substance use. Patients completed a structured diagnostic interview (Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module), yielding Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) substance use diagnoses. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: For the entire screen and the Screening to Brief Intervention, sensitivity and specificity for identifying nontobacco substance use, substance use disorders, severe substance use disorders, and tobacco dependence were calculated using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module as the criterion standard. RESULTS: Of 340 patients invited to participate, 216 (63.5%) enrolled in the study. Sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 84% (95% CI, 76%-89%) for identifying nontobacco substance use, 90% (95% CI, 77%-96%) and 94% (95% CI, 89%-96%) for substance use disorders, 100% and 94% (95% CI, 90%-96%) for severe substance use disorders, and 75% (95% CI, 52%-89%) and 98% (95% CI, 95%-100%) for nicotine dependence. No significant differences were found in sensitivity or specificity between the full tool and the Screening to Brief Intervention. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A single screening question assessing past-year frequency use for 8 commonly misused categories of substances appears to be a valid method for discriminating among clinically relevant risk categories of adolescent substance use.
Authors: Anthony Spirito; Peter M Monti; Nancy P Barnett; Suzanne M Colby; Holly Sindelar; Damaris J Rohsenow; William Lewander; Mark Myers Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Sharon Levy; Lon Sherritt; Sion Kim Harris; Elizabeth C Gates; David W Holder; John W Kulig; John R Knight Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2004-08 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Kristen L Barry; Frederic C Blow; Mark L Willenbring; Richard McCormick; Laurie M Brockmann; Stephanie Visnic Journal: Subst Abus Date: 2004-03 Impact factor: 3.716
Authors: Gilles Fleury; Robert Milin; David Crockford; Leslie Buckley; Dara Charney; Tony P George; Nady el-Guebaly Journal: Can J Psychiatry Date: 2015-12 Impact factor: 4.356
Authors: James G Linakis; Julie R Bromberg; T Charles Casper; Thomas H Chun; Michael J Mello; Hailey Ingebretsen; Anthony Spirito Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2019-04-06 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Jan Gryczynski; Shannon G Mitchell; Robert P Schwartz; Sharon M Kelly; Kristi Dušek; Laura Monico; Kevin E O'Grady; Barry S Brown; Marla Oros; Colleen Hosler Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2018-12-18 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Duncan B Clark; Christopher S Martin; Tammy Chung; Adam J Gordon; Lisa Fiorentino; Mason Tootell; Doris M Rubio Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2016-06 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Elizabeth J D'Amico; Layla Parast; Lisa S Meredith; Brett A Ewing; William G Shadel; Bradley D Stein Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2016-11-18 Impact factor: 7.124