The Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test - ASSIST

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 24, 2025

Last Modified: January 26, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), Version 3.1, developed and published by the World Health Organization (WHO)

The ASSIST was designed by WHO to be used in primary health care settings where hazardous and harmful substance use among clients may go undetected, or become worse. It was designed to be culturally neutral and usable across a variety of cultures. The default administration is by a health care professional via a paper-pencil survey/interview.

IMPORTANT Note: this is a computerized implementation. According to WHO "the ASSIST has not been validated for self completion by clients".

References

form available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978924159938-2

Duration

8 minutes

Description

The ASSIST (version 3.1) is a self report 8-item questionnaire to screen for the use of the following substances: -tobacco products -alcohol -cannabis -cocaine -amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) -sedatives and sleeping pills (benzodiazepines) -hallucinogens -inhalants -opioids -‘other’ drugs

Summary Data

File Name: assist_summary*.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
computer.touch 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities
computer.hasKeyboard 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed
screeningStop 1 = participant reported no lifetime use of any drugs (screening stopped after lifetime questions)
(replied 'no' to all q1 questions)
0 = otherwise
list.substances.itemCount Number of substances reported to have used across lifetime
substance1 Stores the reported lifetime substances #1
substance2 Stores the reported lifetime substances #2
substance3 Stores the reported lifetime substances #3
substance4 Stores the reported lifetime substances #4
substance5 Stores the reported lifetime substances #5
substance6 Stores the reported lifetime substances #6
substance7 Stores the reported lifetime substances #7
substance8 Stores the reported lifetime substances #8
substance9 Stores the reported lifetime substances #9
substance10 Stores the reported lifetime substances #10
q2RecentUseTotal 0 = no recent use of any substance reported
otherwise the sum of the 'recentUse' responses
tobaccoTotal The total sum for all Tobacco questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-31 (q5: does not ask about tobacco use)
alcoholTotal The total sum for all Alcohol questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
cannabisTotal The total sum for all Cannabis questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
cocaineTotal The total sum for all Cocaine questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
amphetamineTotal The total sum for all Amphetamine questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
inhalantsTotal The total sum for all Inhalants questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
sedativesTotal The total sum for all Sedatives questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
hallucinogensTotal The total sum for all Hallucinogens questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
opioidsTotal The total sum for all Opioids questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
otherTotal The total sum for all Other questions (q2-q7) Range: 0-39
WHO Recommendation for Interventions for individual substances (0-3: no interventions; 4-26: short intervention; 26+: more intensive treatment recommended)

Raw Data

File Name: assist.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
build Inquisit version number
q*_response Response given (in assigned values)
Scales
q1: 0 = No; 3 = Yes
q2: 0=never,2,3,4,6 (=daily)
q3: 0=never,3,4,5,6 (=daily)
q4: 0=never,4,5,6,7 (=daily)
q5: 0=never,5,6,7,8 (=daily)
q6: 0=never,3,6 (=yes,during the last 3 months)
q7: 0=never,3,6 (=yes,during the last 3 months)
q8: 0=never,1,2 (=yes,during the last 3 months)
q*_latency How much time (in ms) the participant spent on the surveyPage with this particular
question (the last time this particular surveyPage was visited)