CBT Texts for PTSD & Hazardous Drinking (Project Better)

Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) assesses the quantity of heavy drinking episodes (i.e., >4/5 drinks per occasion for women/men, based on the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's definition) over the last month. It is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range of the scale is 0-10 (count of the number of heavy drinking episodes in the last month); 10 is described as 10 or more heavy drinking episodes. Higher scores represent a greater number of heavy drinking episodes.

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the 5th Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5) assesses the severity of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as defined by the 5th Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16) to assess change in PTSD symptoms. The range of the scale is 0-80. Higher scores represent more severe PTSD symptoms.

The Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) assesses the number of standard drinks consumed each day of a typical week over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range for the scale to report drinks consumed each day is 0-25. Each day's score for the week is summed to created a total number of drinks consumed per week; the count of drinks consumed per week ranges from 0 to 175. Higher scores representing greater number of drinks consumed during a typical week.

The Short Index of Problems (SIP) assesses the negative consequences from alcohol consumption over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range for the scale is 0-15 and higher scores represent a greater number of alcohol-related consequences.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) assesses problem drinking and likely diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder over the last 12 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-40 and higher scores represent greater risks of having an alcohol use disorder.

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) assesses the general psychopathology symptoms over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). It has 3 subscales; two of which (anxiety and depression subscales) are outcomes for this study. The total range of scores of the anxiety subscale of the DASS-21 is 0-21 and higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. The total range of scores of the depression subscale of the DASS-21 is 0-21 and higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.

The Treatment Services Received (TSR) assesses the types of mental health and addictions treatments that individuals (e.g., inpatient, outpatient, 12-step, etc) received since enrolling in the study and is administered at 3 month follow up (week 16). Twelve types of treatment are listed and counted to calculate the number of types of treatment that individuals received over the 16-week study period. The minimum possible score is 0 (no services received) and the maximum is 12 types of treatment. Higher numbers indicate receiving more types of treatment.

The Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record (CDDR) assesses comprehensive substance use, other than alcohol, over the last 3 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-12 and higher scores indicate more drug use.

The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) assesses the problems related to other substance use and likely drug use disorder diagnosis over the last 12 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-10 and higher scores indicate more substance use-related problems and likely drug use disorder diagnosis.