Use of the European Addiction Severity Index (Europ ASI) with drug dependants in outpatient treatment

FRANÇAIS :
L'ASI (Addiction Severity Index) a été administré à des patients sous traitement ambulatoire de substitution par la méthadone. Les changements de scores composés ont été évalués également. La cohérence interne des scores est généralement adéquate. La corrélation entre l'importance de la gravité et les scores composés est satisfaisante et les objections nécessaires sont formulées. Dans l'échantillon étudié, des changements positifs sont perceptibles quant aux usages de drogue et à la situation juridique.
ENGLISH :
The European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASl, is a semi-structured interview that collects data from persons with addiction problems in seven independent problem areas: medical condition, employment, alcohol use, drug use, legal status, family and social relationships, and psychiatric condition. There are two summarizing scores (interviewer-severity-ratings and composite scores) describing problem severity in the different areas. The EuropASI has been evaluated for its psychometric characteristics in clients of outpatient medical rehabilitation with methadone substitution. Furthermore change measures of the composite scores have been investigated. The internal consistency of the composite scores (cronbach's alpha) is generally adequate. The correlations between corresponding interviewer-severity-ratings and composite scores were satisfying. Concerning face validity of the composite scores some objections have been made and alternative proposals are presented. In the sample of clients in outpatient medical rehabilitation with methadone substitution there are positive changes concerning drug use and legal status. (Review' s abstract)