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Assessing Substance-Related Disorders in Hispanic Clients

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Guide to Psychological Assessment with Hispanics

Abstract

In the field of substance use, cultural considerations when assessing Hispanic clients include issues regarding the availability of translated and validated instruments in Spanish and interpretation of the data collected. The objective of this chapter is to describe the major assessment instruments used in the field of substance abuse, with a special focus on screening and multidimensional instruments that examine alcohol or drug using patterns, as well as associated problems. In particular, the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), CAGE questionnaire, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), and Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) will be discussed. We summarize the psychometric evidence of each assessment instrument, provide information about the availability of each instrument in the Spanish language and its psychometric properties, and present information on translated versions and adaptations of each assessment instrument for use with younger populations.

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Suarez-Morales, L., Beitra, D. (2013). Assessing Substance-Related Disorders in Hispanic Clients. In: Benuto, L. (eds) Guide to Psychological Assessment with Hispanics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4412-1_12

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