Validating the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory for Identifying Substance Abuse Among Adolescents in a Residential Treatment Center

Purpose. This study examines the construct validity of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory for Adolescents (SASSI-A) as a substance-abuse screening instrument for dual-diagnosed adolescents in a residential treatment center. Method. Using archival records of 336 subjects from a long-term residential treatment center, this study applied a two-group comparison method to examine the construct validity of the SASSI-A for screening substance abuse among adolescents in a residential treatment center. Residents were initially clinically assessed by a state certified counselor as either substance abuser/chemically dependent or non-substance abuser/chemically dependent. At this residential treatment center, the clinical assessment included a full review of the resident\u27s clinical and medical file, consult with the resident\u27s family if possible, welfare and/or probation staff, the primary therapist and other residential staff, and an assessment interview. Scale scores and decision rules for the SASSI-A were then compared to the classification by clinical assessment. Underlying structure of the SASSI-A was also examined through principal component analysis. Results. Independent t tests for the SASSI-A subscales scores showed significant differences in the mean scores between those clinically assessed as substance abuser/chemically dependent and those who were not. Those who were classified as chemically dependent using SASSI-A Decision Rules #1, #2, #3, and #4 were also likely to be clinically assessed as substance abuser/chemically dependent. For this sample, there was insufficient remaining subjects to test the utility of Decision Rules #5 and #6. Classification by clinical assessment and by SASSI-A was unrelated to demographic variables. In comparing the end results of the SASSI-A Decision Rules classification versus the results of those clinically assessed, there was an overall classification agreement of 78.6%. Principle component analysis with varimax rotation resulted in three meaningful underlying factors. Conclusions. Compared to classification by clinical assessment, the SASSI-A appears to be a valid screening instrument for identifying substance abuse/chemical dependency among adolescents in a residential treatment center