Determination Of The Severity Of A Substance Use Disorder

Comments On Students Post Of 1-1 Name Institution Date Jacqueline: It's true that the assessment process involves clinical examination to determine the functioning and well being of clients. Counselors determine the severity of a substance use disorder using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (SAMHSA, 2015). This criteria is a grouping criteria that measure pathological pattern behavior to determine the use of substance (SAMHSA, 2015). The criteria depend on the number of symptoms criteria assessed. Mild use of the substance should measure social impairment rated from 1-4 that measures larger amounts of use of substances or longer period than originally intended (SAMHSA, 2015). Moderate use of substance use is grouped from criteria 5-7 where recurrent substance use cause failure to fulfill the required obligations at home, at school or at work (SAMHSA, 2015). Risk use of the substance is criteria 8-9, in this group the counselor should assess the recurrent use of a substance to determine if it is physically hazardous and lastly, pharmacological criteria include 10-11 to measure tolerance and withdrawal symptoms (SAMHSA, 2015). Substance use disorder can be assessed using several assessment tools including Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V (SCID), Alcohol Use Disorders and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule (AUDADIS) among others. Alicia: the counselor can choose any structure assessment tool that is appropriate. Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is commonly used in recent times, however, combining ASI with other instruments to get a bio-psych-social as one of the indicators of addiction can provide a full understanding of the levels of severity of substance use (Priester, et al., 2016). Audra: The addiction severity Index (ASI) is commonly used because of its reliability and high-level of validity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). ASI easily screen for problems and impairments that commonly accompany drug abuse and dependence (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). ASI enables clinicians to get a comprehensive picture of other important services that patients will require as a way to maximize his treatment process. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). DSM-5 is equally an important tool that supplements the ASI because it measures the three levels of severity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). References American Psychiatric As...