DAST-10

Introduction
The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) is a 10-item brief screening tool
that can be administered by a clinician or self-administered. Each question
requires a yes or no response, and the tool can be completed in less than 8
minutes. This tool assesses drug use, not including alcohol or tobacco use,
in the past 12 months.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals

DAST10Questionnaire

Imgoingtoreadyoualistofquestionsconcerninginformationaboutyourpotentialinvolvementwith
drugs,excludingalcoholandtobacco,duringthepast12months.

Whenthewordsdrugabuseareused,theymeantheuseofprescribedoroverthecounter
medications/drugsinexcessofthedirectionsandanynonmedicaluseofdrugs.Thevariousclassesof
drugsmayinclude:cannabis(e.g.,marijuana,hash),solvents,tranquilizers(e.g.,Valium),barbiturates,
cocaine,stimulants(e.g.,speed),hallucinogens(e.g.,LSD)ornarcotics(e.g.,heroin).Rememberthatthe
questionsdonotincludealcoholortobacco.

Ifyouhavedifficultywithastatement,thenchoosetheresponsethatismostlyright.
Youmaychoosetoanswerornotansweranyofthequestionsinthissection.

Thesequestionsrefertothepast12months.
1. Haveyouuseddrugsotherthanthoserequiredformedicalreasons?
2. Doyouabusemorethanonedrugatatime?
3. Areyoualwaysabletostopusingdrugswhenyouwantto?(Ifneveruse
drugs,answerYes.
4. Haveyouhad"blackouts"or"flashbacks"asaresultofdruguse?
5. Doyoueverfeelbadorguiltyaboutyourdruguse?Ifneverusedrugs,
chooseNo.
6. Doesyourspouse(orparents)evercomplainaboutyourinvolvement
withdrugs?
7. Haveyouneglectedyourfamilybecauseofyouruseofdrugs?
8. Haveyouengagedinillegalactivitiesinordertoobtaindrugs?
9. Haveyoueverexperiencedwithdrawalsymptoms(feltsick)whenyou
stoppedtakingdrugs?
10. Haveyouhadmedicalproblemsasaresultofyourdruguse(e.g.,
memoryloss,hepatitis,convulsions,bleeding,etc.)?

No

Yes

0
0

1
1

0
0

1
1

InterpretingtheDAST10
Inthesestatements,theterm"drugabuse"referstotheuseofmedicationsatalevelthatexceedsthe
instructions,and/oranynonmedicaluseofdrugs.Patientsreceive1pointforevery"yes"answerwith
theexceptionofquestion#3,forwhicha"no"answerreceives1point.DAST10ScoreDegreeof
ProblemsRelatedtoDrugAbuseSuggestedAction.

Degree of Problems Related to

DAST-10 Score
Suggested Action
Drug Abuse
0
Noproblemsreported
Noneatthistime
12
Lowlevel
Monitor,reassessatalaterdate
35
Moderatelevel
Furtherinvestigation
68
Substantiallevel
Intensiveassessment
910
Severelevel
Intensiveassessment

Skinner, H. A. (1982). The Drug Abuse Screening Test. Addictive Behavior, 7(4),363371.