Brief Description
The Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test – Revised (CUDIT-R) is an 8-item screening tool designed to identify hazardous cannabis use and potential cannabis use disorders. It is a revision of the original CUDIT, updated to align with changes in cannabis consumption patterns and diagnostic criteria. The CUDIT-R assesses frequency and intensity of cannabis use, related problems, failed attempts to cut down, and symptoms of dependence. An example item is: “How often during the past 6 months did you find that you were not able to stop using cannabis once you had started?” Responses are provided on a Likert Scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 4 (Daily/Almost Daily). The CUDIT-R is brief, easy to administer, and validated for use in both clinical and research settings to help determine when further assessment or intervention may be warranted.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report (may also be clinician-administered)
Number of questions
8 (Includes one non-scored yes/no question assessing cannabis use)
Age Range for Administration
14+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No recommended standard frequency; Blueprint recommends as clinically appropriate for screening or progress monitoring, commonly at intake and periodically throughout treatment.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each item on the CUDIT-R is scored from 0 to 4, based on frequency of behavior over the past 6 months. Question 8 (#9 in Blueprint) is scored as 0, 2 or 4. Total scores range from 0 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater risk of problematic cannabis use.
Total Score | Interpretation |
0-7 | Low risk / non-problematic use |
8-11 | Hazardous cannabis use |
12 or higher | Possible cannabis use disorder (recommend further assessment) |
Scores of 8 or higher suggest hazardous cannabis use, whereas scores of 12 or higher indicate a potential cannabis use disorder that may require further assessment or intervention.
Blueprint Adjustments
While the first item on the original CUDIT-R is not numbered, Blueprint requires all questions to be numbered. As a result, Blueprint displays the initial cannabis use item as part of the numbered sequence, so clinicians will see 9 questions instead of 8.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 2-3 minutes.
The CUDIT-R is a screening tool, not a diagnostic measure. Positive screens should be followed by a more comprehensive assessment for cannabis use disorder.
Developed as a revision of the original CUDIT to enhance sensitivity and specificity for detecting DSM-5 cannabis use disorder symptoms.
Validated in diverse populations, including adolescents and adults, demonstrating strong reliability and construct validity.
The final question in the assessment, (“Have you ever thought about cutting down on your cannabis use?”), remains clinically useful with youth as a marker of ambivalence or early motivation for change, but it tends to be less sensitive than other items with this population.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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