K-CAT-SUD-E: Revolutionizing Adolescent Substance Use Assessment

The K-CAT? is a suite of computerized adaptive tests (CATs) validated to assess youth aged 7 to 17 for a variety of mental health conditions to help identify areas that require intervention and improve overall outcomes. The K-CAT? includes a child substance use disorder measure that assesses the use of various substance classes including cannabis, nicotine/tobacco, alcohol, stimulants, opioids, sedatives, hallucinogens, and inhalants. In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Indiana University, the substance use portion of the K-CAT??, K-CAT-SUD-E, has emerged as a game-changer in adolescent assessment. This measure offers a rapid and accurate solution for diagnosing Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in adolescents, addressing critical gaps in identification and intervention.

Study Highlights:

Efficiency and Accuracy: The K-CAT-SUD-E demonstrated classification accuracy ranging from excellent to outstanding for both current and lifetime SUD diagnoses across nine substance classes. Notably, the tool’s accuracy rivaled the gold-standard clinician-conducted diagnostic interview (K-SADS) while significantly reducing completion time.?

Quick and Remote Assessment: With a median completion time of 4 minutes and 22 seconds, the K-CAT-SUD-E outpaced traditional assessments, making it an ideal choice for quick, precise, and remote-friendly substance use evaluations.

Significance for Adolescent Mental Health:

Closing the Treatment Gap: Adolescents with SUDs often face a treatment gap contingent on in-person clinician assessment. The K-CAT-SUD-E offers a feasible and accurate solution to bridge this gap, providing timely identification and intervention based on access to any web-capable device.

Versatile Application: The tool’s adaptability makes it suitable for use in various settings, including academic, juvenile justice, and primary care, while aligning with the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model.

Enhanced Reliability: The K-CAT-SUD-E’s self-administration feature addresses underreporting concerns common in clinical settings, allowing adolescents to comfortably report sensitive information using electronic devices on their own time.?

The K-CAT-SUD-E is poised to revolutionize adolescent mental health assessment, offering a timely, effective, and reliable solution for identifying and quantifying SUD symptoms. This study encourages further validation in larger adolescent samples, and future research should explore feasibility at scale in diverse youth-serving settings.

For more information about the K-CAT-SUD-E and it's release, contact [email protected].