CRAFFT Screening Test

CRAFFT Screening Test is a short, self-administered behavioural health screening tool developed to screen adolescents for high risk alcohol and other drug use disorders simultaneously. It is considered an effective screening tool intended to assess whether further assessment is warranted.[1][2][3] The CRAFFT performs a similar function to the CAGE questionnaire, which is used for screening alcohol disorders in adults, but which has poor psychometric properties for teens and adolescents.[3]

The published questionnaire is currently available in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese.[4] The questionnaire comprises two parts.[5] Part A asks whether during the past 12 months the respondent:

  1. Drank any alcohol (more than a few sips)
  2. Smoked any marijuana or hashish
  3. Used anything else to get "high".

If the answer is "no" to all three questions, the respondent is directed to the first question only of part B. If the answer is "yes" to any of the above three questions, the respondent is directed to all six questions in part B.

Of the six questions in Part B, two or more ‘‘yes’’ answers suggest a significant problem and need for additional assessment. The questions are

  1. C Have you ever ridden in a CAR driven by someone (including yourself) who was ‘‘high’’ or had been using alcohol or drugs?
  2. R Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to RELAX, feel better about yourself, or fit in?
  3. A Do you ever use alcohol or drugs while you are ALONE?
  4. F Do you ever FORGET things you did while using alcohol or drugs?
  5. F Do your family or FRIENDS ever tell you that you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
  6. T Have you ever gotten into TROUBLE while you were using alcohol or drugs?

References

  1. ^ "The CRAFFT Screening Tool", The Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research (CeASAR) (Children's Hospital Boston), Last updated 2009, http://www.ceasar-boston.org/CRAFFT/index.php, retrieved 21 November 2010 
  2. ^ Knight, John R; Sherritt, Lon; Harris, Sion Kim; Chang, Grace (June 2002), "Validity of the CRAFFT Substance Abuse Screening Test Among Adolescent Clinic Patients", Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 156: 607–614, http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/156/6/607.pdf, retrieved 21 November 2010 
  3. ^ a b Neinstein, Lawrence S; Gordon, Catherine M; Katzman, Debra K et al., eds. (2008), "CRAFFT", Adolescent Health Care: A Practical Guide, Issue 414 (5th ed.), Wolters Kluwer / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 950, ISBN 978-0-7817-9256-1, http://books.google.com/books?id=er8dQPxgcz0C&pg=PA950&dq=CRAFFT&hl=en&ei=A6XoTJbXOouPcdWq2O4K&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=CRAFFT&f=false, retrieved 21 November 2010 
  4. ^ Self-Administered CRAFFT download page, English, Spanish and Portuguese versions, Last updated 2009, http://www.ceasar-boston.org/CRAFFT/selfCRAFFT.php, retrieved 21 November 2010 
  5. ^ The CRAFFT Screening Questions, English version self-administered questionnaire, Children's Hospital Boston, 2009, http://www.ceasar-boston.org/CRAFFT/pdf/CRAFFT_English.pdf, retrieved 21 November 2010