The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is a standardized questionnaire used to assess seven areas of functioning in adults with substance use disorders. The ASI has been widely used in research and clinical settings since its development in the early 1980s and is considered one of the most comprehensive and reliable tools for assessing addiction severity.
The seven areas assessed by the ASI are: medical status, employment/support status, drug use, alcohol use, legal status, family/social relations, and psychiatric symptoms. Each area is rated on a scale from 0 to 1, with 0 indicating no problems and 1 indicating severe problems. The total score ranges from 0 to 7, with higher scores indicating more severe addiction.
The questions on the ASI vary depending on the area being assessed, but all questions are designed to gather information about the frequency and severity of problems experienced over the past 30 days. For example, questions about medical status may include queries about recent hospitalizations or illnesses related to drug or alcohol use. Questions about employment/support status may ask about missed work days due to drug or alcohol use, or whether illegal activities have been engaged in to support a substance abuse habit.
The ASI has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of addiction severity across different populations and settings. It is frequently used in research studies as well as in clinical practice to help guide treatment decisions and track progress over time.