Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence

Recommendation ID: CG115/2
Question: What methods are most effective for assessing and diagnosing the presence and severity of alcohol misuse in children and young people?
Any explanatory notes (if applicable): Why this is important:- Alcohol misuse is an increasingly common problem in children and young people. However, diagnostic instruments are poorly developed or not available for children and young people. In adults there is a range of diagnostic and assessment tools (with reasonable sensitivity and specificity, and reliability and validity) that are recommended for routine use in the NHS to both assess the severity of the alcohol misuse and to guide treatment decisions. No similar well-developed measures exist for children and young people, with the result that problems are missed and/or inappropriate treatment is offered. The results of this study will have important implications for the identification and the provision of effective treatment in the NHS for children and young people with alcohol-related problems.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance: Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence
Number: CG115
Date issued: February 2011

Is this a recommendation for the use of a technology only in the context of research?	No
Is it a recommendation that suggests collection of data or the establishment of a register?	No