Detection of alcoholism in schizophrenia using the MAST.

The classification accuracy of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) for detecting alcoholism in a community sample of 75 schizophrenic outpatients was assessed, as a replication and extension of Searles et al. (1990). The criterion diagnosis of alcohol use disorder was based on the convergence of ratings from multiple sources. The MAST classified 85% of the sample correctly, and item-based analyses showed that various subsets were equally effective, indicating a high degree of redundancy among MAST items. Differences between our sample and that of Searles et al. influenced the choice of MAST items for optimal detection and classification, and males were consistently classified more correctly than females. These results suggest that the construction of a brief and accurate detection instrument for alcohol use among schizophrenic patients may be possible, although attention to subpopulation differences will be required.