Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – AUDIT
A 10-item screening tool designed to detect hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption as well as alcohol dependence.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – AUDIT was developed by Saunders, J.B., Aasland, O.G., Babor, T.F., de la Fuente, J.R. & Grant, M. (1993). It is designed to measure Alcohol use disorders and hazardous drinking. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Hazardous health impacts, Dependence symptoms, Behavioural or social problems of use.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous health impacts | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Dependence symptoms | 4,5,6 | 3 |
| Behavioural or social problems of use | 7,8,9,10 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Never / 0-2 drinks / No, 1 = Monthly or less / 3-4 drinks / Less than monthly, 2 = 2-4 times a month / 5-6 drinks / Monthly / Yes, but not in the last year, 3 = 2-3 times a week / 7-9 drinks / Weekly, 4 = 4 or more times a week / 10 or more drinks / Daily or almost daily / 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: 8 – 15
- Harmful: 16 – 19
- High risk: 20 – 40
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.