Summary
The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) is a 5-item self-administered questionnaire that provides a score indicating the severity of dependence on drugs.
The SDS was developed to provide a brief measure of the psychological aspects of dependence experienced by users of various types of illicit drugs. It is a measure of compulsive use and the individual's preoccupation and anxieties about their own drug taking, as well as feelings of impaired control over their drug use.
Additional information
Gossop M; Darke S; Griffiths P; Hando J; Powis B; Hall W; Strang J. The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS): psychometric properties of the SDS in English and Australian samples of heroin, cocaine and amphetamine users. Addiction 1995; 90:607-614.
Mercincavage M, et al. Exploring the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) as a possible measure of nicotine dependence. Subst Abuse 2016;37(2):323-9. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2015.1062459
Fernandez-Calderon F, et al. Reliability, convergent and structural validity and cut-off score of the Severity of Dependence Scale for recreational ketamine users. Addict Behav 2016;60:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.03.016
Martin G; Copeland J; Gates P; Gilmour S. The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in an adolescent population of cannabis users: Reliability, validity and diagnostic cut-off.
Gossop M; Best D; Marsden J ; Strang J. Test-retest reliability of the Severity of Dependence Scale. Addiction 1997;92:353-354.
Kaye S; Darke S. Determining a diagnostic cut-off on the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) for cocaine dependence. Addiction 2002;97:727-731.
Topp L; Mattick R. Choosing a cut-off on the Severity of Dependence Scale for amphetamine users. Addiction 1997;92:839-845.
De La Cuevas C; Sanz EJ; De La Fuente JA; Padilla J; Berenguer JC. The Severity of Dependence Scale as a screening test for benzodiazepine dependence: SDS validation study. Addiction 2000;95:245-250.
Chen VC-H; Chen H; Lin T-Y; Chou H-H; Lai T-J; Ferri CP; Gossop M. Severity of heroin dependence in Taiwan: Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS[Ch]). Addictive Behaviors 2008;33(12):1590-1593.
Gonzalez-Saiz F; Domingo-Salvany A; Barrio G; Sanchez-Niubo A; Brugal MT; de la Fuente L;Alonso J; ITINERE Investigators. Severity of Dependence Scale as a diagnositc tool for heroin and cocaine dependence. European Addiction Research 2009;15(2):87-93.
- Open access
- Czech
- English
- Lithuanian
- Polish
- Russian
- Farsi