Development and validation of Tagalog versions of the Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20) and Stimulant Relapse Risk Scale (SRRS) for drug users in the Philippines

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280047
• Publication Date: 2023-01-06T18:40:52Z
• Authors: Takayuki Harada; Kazutaka Nomura; Toshiaki Baba; Tomohiro Shirasaka; Ayumi Takano; Shogo Kanamori
• Keywords: Stimulant; Methamphetamine; Validity

Methamphetamine use is becoming a major social issue in the Philippines, and this has been attracting international interest. Understanding characteristics of drug users severity their an urgent requirement for promoting effective treatment support; however, lack screening assessment tools with confirmed reliability validity obstacle regard. Therefore, aim study to develop Tagalog versions Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20), drug-abuse tool used worldwide, Stimulant Relapse Risk Scale (SRRS), quantitatively evaluating relapse among stimulant users, confirm reliability. Participants were 305 patients admitted Treatment Rehabilitation Center (TRC) operated by Philippines Department Health methamphetamine use. Sufficient internal consistency DAST-20 was confirmed, Cronbach’s alpha value 0.81. Concerning validity, receiver-operating-characteristic analysis, featuring diagnoses from independent doctors, returned acceptable area-under-curve 0.62. also SRRS, 0.89. Correlation analysis subjective craving (measured using visual analog scale) SRRS revealed significant positive correlation ( r = 0.19, p < 0.001), confirming certain level validity. The developed be reliable valid. These scales could clinical settings research purposes.