Which instrument is a substance abuse screening inventory widely used?

• A. Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory
• B. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
• C. CoGAT
• D. GDO-R

Answer: (A)

Substance abuse screening inventories are designed to quickly flag individuals who may have substance use issues so they can receive further assessment. The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory is specifically built for this purpose. It uses carefully crafted items and built-in validity scales to detect substance use problems, including cases where someone might minimize or deny their use. Because of its focused aim, solid evidence of validity across diverse groups, and practical, brief format, it has become a widely adopted tool in many settings, such as schools, clinics, and treatment programs.

The other instruments have different primary purposes. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory assesses broad personality and psychopathology, not a focused screen for substances. The CoGAT measures cognitive abilities for educational planning, not substance use. The GDO-R isn’t a standard, widely used substance abuse screen.