A measure of subjective substance use disorder awareness – Substance Use Awareness and Insight Scale (SAS)

Abstract Introduction Impaired illness awareness or inability to recognize that one has problematic substance use can be a barrier to treatment seeking and rehabilitation. A validated scale is needed to better understand the clinical impact of impaired substance use disorder awareness. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a novel scale that was developed to assess impaired illness awareness in individuals with substance use disorder. Methods We developed the Substance Use Awareness and Insight Scale (SAS), a 7-item self-report measure to assess the theoretical constructs of illness awareness in substance use disorder. Participants 18 years of age or older with a score of 8 or more on the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) were included. Data were collected via Dynata, an online survey platform. Results A total of 299 participants were included (mean (SD) age=47.3-years (15.4), 54% women). The SAS demonstrated good convergent (r=0.82, p Discussion The results of this study provide initial support for the psychometric validation of the SAS in adults with substance use disorder. The SAS holds promise for use in research and clinical settings to assess the influence of impaired substance use disorder awareness on treatment outcomes.