A comparison of the MAST, MAC, and ASI as diagnostic tools in the detection of alcohol abuse.

Abstract

Past studies have attempted to determine the effectiveness of the Michigan Alcoholism screening Test (MAST), the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC), and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in detecting the severity of alcohol abuse. These studies have resulted in conflicting opinions of these instruments. However, no researchers have compared the effectiveness of these three tests. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the MAST, MAC, and ASI relative to each other when screening for alcohol abuse. Subjects consisted of DUI offenders who had been referred to a mental health center for an evaluation of the severity of their drinking problem. There were 100 subjects in this study. The total subject pool was analyzed. Then males and females were analyzed separately. To determine if these three instruments were more effective when applied to individuals with a severe drinking problem, the subjects with very high blood alcohol contents (BACs) of .20 or more were then analyzed. The results of a chi square analysis demonstrated that neither the MAST nor the MAC were useful instruments when screening for alcohol abuse. The ASI was not effective when females only were tested or when the total subject pool was analyzed. However, results did indicate that the ASI was effective when used on males only and when used on subjects with very high BACs (.20>). These results indicate that in most cases, these three instruments do not correctly identify those individuals who are abusing alcohol. Extreme caution should be used when using the MAST, MAC, or ASI for the detection of alcohol abuse.