Selecting the Right Tool: A Compendium of Alcohol and Other Drug Assessment and Evaluation Instruments [archived]

Assessing alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and measuring the effects of prevention efforts can be a daunting task. Although it may be unrealistic to expect every campus to conduct a rigorous, experimental evaluation of its programming and policies, all schools need to use key indicators to monitor progress and suggest needed policy or program modifications. This compendium covers the important issues to consider when selecting data collection instruments. It also describes the leading instruments used in the postsecondary AOD prevention field. Details provided include application and outcomes, format and administration, costs, validity and reliability, and technical assistance available. More than 20 instrument samples are included. In addition to assessing student AOD use, these instruments cover consequences of AOD use; student, staff and faculty perceptions of AOD use; environmental factors that encourage use (e.g., tailgate parties) or discourage use (e.g., substance-free housing); and other issues related to the college or university AOD climate. (Sample instruments are included in the printed document, but are not available on the Web site.)