Generalizability of the clinical dimensions of the Addiction Severity Index to nonopioid-dependent patients

Clinical dimensions (CDs) for the Addiction Severity Index recently have be en established for application among opioid-dependent patients in methadone treatment (P. A. McDermott et al., 1996). This article examines the genera lizability of the CDs to other substance-dependent patients. A sample of 2, 027 adult nonopioid-dependent patients was identified; it comprised 581 pri marily cocaine-dependent, 544 primarily alcohol-dependent, and 803 polydrug -dependent patients and 99 patients who were dependent on other varied drug s. Generality of dimensions was assessed through confirmatory components an alysis, structural congruence, internal consistency, and variance partition ing in higher order factoring. The CDs were found generalizable overall and to specific nonopioid-dependent subgroups, and across patient gender and a ge, and to African American and White patients. Preliminary concurrent and predictive validity data supported the CD structure.