CRAFFT Screening Test
Encyclopedia
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. 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.
The published questionnaire is currently available in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. The questionnaire comprises two parts. Part A asks whether during the past 12 months the respondent:
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
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and other drug use disorders simultaneously. It is considered an effective screening tool intended to assess whether further assessment is warranted. The CRAFFT performs a similar function to the CAGE questionnaire
CAGE questionnaire
The CAGE questionnaire, the name of which is an acronym of its four questions, is a widely used method of screening for alcoholism.The CAGE questionnaire, among other methods, has been extensively validated for use in identifying alcoholism...
, which is used for screening alcohol disorders in adults, but which has poor psychometric properties for teens and adolescents.
The published questionnaire is currently available in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. The questionnaire comprises two parts. Part A asks whether during the past 12 months the respondent:
- Drank any alcohol (more than a few sips)
- Smoked any marijuana or hashish
- 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
- C Have you ever ridden in a CAR driven by someone (including yourself) who was ‘‘high’’ or had been using alcoholAlcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
or drugDrugA drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s? - R Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to RELAX, feel better about yourself, or fit in?
- A Do you ever use alcohol or drugs while you are ALONE?
- F Do you ever FORGET things you did while using alcohol or drugs?
- F Do your family or FRIENDS ever tell you that you should cut down on your drinkingAlcohol abuseAlcohol abuse, as described in the DSM-IV, is a psychiatric diagnosis describing the recurring use of alcoholic beverages despite negative consequences. Alcohol abuse eventually progresses to alcoholism, a condition in which an individual becomes dependent on alcoholic beverages in order to avoid...
or drug useDrug abuseSubstance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
? - T Have you ever gotten into TROUBLE while you were using alcohol or drugs?