Christo Inventory for Substance-misuse Services (CISS)
CISS comparison scores for an outpatient alcohol service
A survey of 102 clients at the Alcohol Advisory Service of Camden and Islington in London
(see below for details)
|
|
Average CISS score = 8.1 (sd = 3.4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15%obtained CISS scores in range |
0 to 4 |
= low problem severity |
|
|
|
|
|
70%obtained CISS scores in range |
5 to 11 |
= average problem severity |
|
|
|
|
|
15%obtained CISS scores in range |
12 to 20 |
= high problem severity |
|
|
|
|
A chart to illustrate the alcohol score distribution of CISS
See chart above: The yellow bars indicate the CISS score distribution for outpatient alcohol users (e.g., 18 subjects scored 8, the mode score).
Brief description
This group consisted of 102 problem drinkers (68 male, 34 female) who accounted for 83% of all clients appearing on the register of Camden and Islington Community Trust Alcohol Advisory Service.
Their mean age was 40.3 years (sd = 10.6, range = 21 - 70).
Their mean period since treatment entry was 141.6 days (sd = 268.7, range = 0 - 2174).
CISS total scores were normally distributed and there was no floor or ceiling effect.
One standard deviation either side of the mean indicated a CISS total score range of 5 to 11 as being of average problem severity for this type of sample.
A chart to illustrate the average scores of separate CISS items
243 Outpatient drug users (mostly methadone maintained) versus 102 outpatient alcohol users
See chart above: The coloured bars indicate the average CISS item scores for the 10 individual items that make up the CISS. For example, the red bar for the drug users indicates that they scored the highest for occupational problems. Thus reflecting the fact that the majority of them were unemployed. The dark green bar indicates that problems of criminality were perceived by raters as being the least prevalent among both drinkers and drug users.
Summary
Alcohol users generally score one CISS point less than drug users.
Alcohol users are less likely to score on problems of social functioning, HIV risk behaviour and criminal involvement.
But they are more likely to score on psychological problems.
References
Christo, G., Spurrell, S. and Alcorn, R. (2000). Validation of the Christo Inventory for Substance-misuse Services (CISS): a simple outcome evaluation tool. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Links within CISS site
CISS home page and index.
CISS general overview. Unedited version of an explanatory article about CISS which appeared in Addiction Today Magazine (Nov/Dec, 1999)
CISS comparison scores for harm minimisation oriented methadone prescribing outpatient services
CISS comparison scores for an outpatient alcohol service (item score comparisons with drug users)
CISS comparison scores and cutoffs for abstinence oriented services
CISS technical information (reliability, validity, correlations with other scales)
CISS detailed information. Validation of the Christo Inventory for Substance-misuse Services (CISS): a simple outcome evaluation tool (from Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2000).
ã
1998 George Christo PhD, PsychD.