Transcultural adaptation and validation of the CRAFFT as a screening test for problematic alcohol and substance use, abuse and dependence in a group of Argentine adolescents.
Substance use and abuse and their consequences are a major problem among adolescents. The screening for problematic alcohol and substance use, abuse and dependence should be part of the case-taking process for adolescents. The Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) and the Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Family/Friends, Trouble questionnaire (CRAFFT) are used to this end.



17 items corresponding to substance use and abuse (POSITsua); it has been validated in Spanish.



six questions; it has not been validated in Argentina.



To assess the validity of a version of the CRAFFT screening test adapted to Spanish in a group of Argentine adolescents using the POSITsua test as reference.



The CRAFFTa and the POSITsua tests were administered to 14-20 year-old adolescents. An affirmative answer was scored as 1, and a negative answer, as 0. An individual was considered to have an increased risk of problematic use, abuse and dependence if he/she scored >2 in the CRAFFTa and POSITsua tests.



Two hundred and eighty-six adolescents were included; 52% were female; mean age: 16.6 years old. The CRAFFTa score was >2 for 29%, while the POSIT score was >2 for 37%. CRAFFTa sensitivity: 59%; specificity: 88%. CRAFFTa positive predictive value: 0.74; negative predictive value: 0.78. The area under the curve was 0.73. In the linear regression, the R for the six CRAFFT questions was 0.60. Gender and age did not modify results. Cronbach's alpha was 0.64.



CRAFFTa sensitivity was 59%, and its specificity was 88%, compared to the POSITsua test as a screening tool for problematic alcohol and substance use, abuse and dependence among Argentine adolescents.
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
María Carolina
MC
Bertini
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Julio
J
Busaniche
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ferney
F
Baquero
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alfredo
A
Eymann
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Mariana
M
Krauss
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Marcela
M
Paz
Sección Adolescencia, Servicio de Clínica Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cristina
C
Catsicaris
D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis; D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014177:Translations; D055815:Young Adult