Which short-form screening tool is commonly used to assess adolescent substance use in clinics?

• A. SCARED
• B. M-CHAT
• C. AUDIT
• D. Crafft

Answer: (D)

This question is about the screening tool designed specifically for teens to flag risky substance use in clinical settings. The CRAFFT screen is a six-item, quick questionnaire developed for adolescents to identify potential substance-related problems and the risk of disorder. Its name comes from the six prompts it uses: Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble. Each item asks about a pattern of use or consequences that are particularly relevant to adolescents, such as using substances to cope, using when alone, or getting into trouble because of use. Because it’s brief and validated for youth, it’s commonly used in routine primary care and clinic visits to decide if a more in-depth assessment is needed.

Other tools listed aren’t tailored for adolescent substance use in the same way. SCARED screens for anxiety symptoms, not substance use. M-CHAT is a screening tool for autism in younger children, not substance-related issues. AUDIT is a broader alcohol-use screening primarily validated in adults, whereas CRAFFT targets both alcohol and other substances in adolescents and is specifically designed for that age group.