ENHANCEMENT OF THE ADDICTION SEVEREITY INDEX

THE OVERALL PROJECT GOAL IS TO STANDARDIZE THE ADMINISTRATION PROCESS AND PROMOTE THE APPROPRIATE USE OF THE ADDICTION SEVERITY INDEX (ASI) IN SUBSTANCE-USE TREATMENT AND RESEARCH. THE ASI IS THE MOST WIDELY USED STRUCTURED CLINICAL INTERVIEW PROTOCOL IN THE FIELD. WHEN USED BY A TRAINED TECHNICIAN, IT HAS GOOD RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY, BUT IT IS VULNERABLE TO MISUSE BY UNTRAINED PERSONNEL. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO ENSURE THAT USERS ARE WELL TRAINED AND TO ENHANCE THE USEFULNESS OF THE ASI THROUGH: (1) PRODUCTIONAND DISSEMINATION OF A VIDEOTAPE FOR USE IN TRAINING, (2)ENHANCEMENT OF THE ASI INSTRUCTION MANUAL, (3)ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROCESS FOR TESTING AND CERTIFYING ASI ADMINISTRATORS, (4) DEVELOPMENT OF A NORMATIVE DATABASE,(5) ESTABLISHMENT OF ASI RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY FOR VARIOUS PATIENT POPULATIONS, (6)DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE DFOR SCORING THE ASI AND INTERPRETING RESULTS, AND (7) PUBLICATION OF A NEWSLETTER PROVIDING THE USER COMMUNITYWITH RESEARCH FINDINGS AND OTHER INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE ASI. ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE AIMS WOULD PROVIDE AN INNOVATIVE PRODUCT AND SERVICE TO THE MORE THAN 600 SITES WORLDWIDE THAT CURRENTLY USE THE ASI AND WOULD ENCOURAGE ITS FURTHER DISSEMINATION.