title: Validity evidence, sensibility and specificity of the severity dimension of the SDSS alcohol dependence scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Therapeutic success in the treatment of alcohol use disorders highly depends on an appropriate diagnosis. The Substance Dependence Severity Scale &#8211;SDSS- is a scale that assesses substance dependence in dimensional terms and that follows the diagnostic criteria established by the international classification systems. The aim of this study is to provide validity evidence for the severity dimension of the alcohol dependence scale of the SDSS comparing it with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview &#8211;MINI-, and others variables related to substance use included in the EuropASI.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 109 patients admitted for treatment in the Drug Abuse Center Services of Huelva who had used alcohol in the month previous to the interview participated. The SDSS, MINI and EuropASI were administered. The diagnostic capacity of the SDSS was assessed by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, taking the MINI dependence diagnosis as standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.917 (CI=0.867-0.968). The trade-off between parameters was detected for a score of 9, with suitable values of sensitivity and specificity (83.58% and 83.72%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the use of the SDSS for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence and for assessment the severity of dependence. Administration of this scale makes it possible to obtain information, with a single score, on how severe the disorder is and whether the dependence criteria have been met.
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Psicología clínica, experimental y social. Universidad de Huelva.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vélez-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Psicología clínica, experimental y social. Universidad de Huelva.
authors.forename: Óscar M
authors.initials: ÓM
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Psicología clínica, experimental y social. Universidad de Huelva Agencia de Servicios Sociales y Dependencia de Andalucía.
authors.forename: Fermín
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández-Calderón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Almería.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Almería.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sayans-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Salud Mental Comunitaria de Villamartín. Hospital de Salud Mental de Cádiz.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González-Saiz
authors.affiliation: Servicio Provincial de Drogodependencias de Huelva.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramírez López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index