Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10) | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

description of resource

The Drug Abuse Screening Test‑10 (DAST‑10) is a brief, 10‑item questionnaire developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to screen for potential drug use within the past 12 months. It covers nonmedical drug use, consequences of use, and related behaviors, and provides a simple scoring system to indicate the severity of drug‑related problems.

who might use it

Healthcare providers, behavioral health clinicians, and program staff often use the DAST‑10 in clinical, research, or intake settings to quickly identify individuals who may need further assessment for substance use. It is also used in community programs and treatment settings where early detection supports appropriate referral and care planning.

how to use it

The individual answers each of the 10 yes/no questions based on their drug use over the past year, and the administrator scores one point for each “Yes,” except for question 3, where a “No” earns one point. The total score is then compared to the interpretation table to determine whether no, low, moderate, substantial, or severe problems are indicated and whether monitoring or further assessment is recommended.