Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – AUDIT
A 10-item screening instrument designed to detect excessive, hazardous, and harmful patterns of alcohol consumption.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – AUDIT was developed by Thomas F. Babor, John C. Higgins-Biddle, John B. Saunders, Maristela G. Monteiro (World Health Organization) (2001). It is designed to measure Alcohol use disorders. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Hazardous Alcohol Use, Dependence Symptoms, Harmful Alcohol Use.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous Alcohol Use | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Dependence Symptoms | 4,5,6 | 3 |
| Harmful Alcohol Use | 7,8,9,10 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Never / No / 1 or 2, 1 = Monthly or less / Less than monthly / 3 or 4, 2 = 2 to 4 times a month / Monthly / 5 or 6 / Yes, but not in the last year, 3 = 2 to 3 times a week / Weekly / 7 to 9, 4 = 4 or more times a week / Daily or almost daily / 10 or more / Yes, during the last year.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low risk: 0 – 7
- Hazardous drinking: 8 – 15
- Harmful drinking: 16 – 19
- Alcohol dependence: 20 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Mean Cronbach's alpha of .80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.