## Summary: The Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM) is a comprehensive tool used to evaluate progress in individuals undergoing treatment for substance use disorders (SUD). It consists of 17 items that broadly cover risk factors, protective factors, and levels of substance use. The assessment allows for the tracking of changes over time and supports clinicians in making informed decisions about treatment plans. The simplicity and breadth of the BAM make it conducive for use in a variety of clinical settings.
## Instructions for the Clinician: Administration of the Brief Addiction Monitor is straightforward and can be accomplished through self-reporting or an interviewer, including over the phone. The assessment is brief, usually completed within 5 minutes, and can be conducted in a range of environments, such as clinics or remotely. Responses can be captured on paper or electronically, enabling flexible integration into different healthcare management systems.
## Scoring Methodology: Examining scores from individual items is the most clinically relevant use of this measure. Clinicians are strongly encouraged to attend to the item-level data because they have direct implications for treatment planning. They identify specific areas of need or resources for the patient’s recovery. Each functional domain has an associated composite score which serves as cross-sectional marker of clinical status. - Use = sum of Items 4, 5, & 6 (higher scores meaning more Use) - Item 7 (7A-7G) are not scored as part of the subscales but provide elaboration for item 6. - Risk = sum of Items 1, 2, 3, 8, 11, & 15 (higher scores meaning more Risk) - Protective = Sum of Items 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, & 16 (higher scores meaning more Protection) - Item 17 can be used as an overall assessment of treatment progress, but is not scored on any of the specific subscales
## Authors/Citations: The resources for the Brief Addiction Monitor were developed by the VISN 4 MIRECC.
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Q# | Subscale | Question | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | Risk | In the past 30 days, would you say your physical health has been: | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
2 | Risk | In the past 30 days, how many nights did you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
3 | Risk | In the past 30 days, how many days have you felt depressed, anxious, angry or very upset throughout most of the day? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
4 | Use | In the past 30 days, how many days did you drink ANY alcohol? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
5 | Use | In the past 30 days, how many days did you have at least 5 drinks (if you are a man) or at least 4 drinks (if you are a woman)? (One drink is considered one shot of hard liquor (1.5 oz) or 12-ounce can/bottle of beer or 5 oz glass of wine) | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
6 | Use | In the past 30 days, how many days did you use any illegal/street drugs or abuse any prescription medications? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
7 | In the past 30 days, how many days did you use: | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7a | Marijuana (cannabis, pot, weed)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7b | Sedatives/Tranquilizers (e.g., “benzos”, Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Ambien, “barbs”, Phenobarbital, downers, etc.)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7c | Cocaine/Crack? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7d | Other Stimulants (e.g., amphetamine, methamphetamine, Dexedrine, Ritalin, Adderall, “speed”, “crystal meth”, “ice”, etc.)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7e | Opiates (e.g., Heroin, Morphine, Dilaudid, Demerol, Ocycontine, oxy, codeine, Tylenol 2,3,4, Percocet, Vicodin, Fentanyl, etc.)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7f | Inhalants (glues/adhesives, nail polish remover, paint thinner, etc.)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
7g | Other drugs (steroids, non-prescription sleep/diet pills, Benadryl, Ephedra, other over-the-counter/unknown medications)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 | |
8 | Risk | In the past 30 days, how much were you bothered by cravings or urges to drink alcohol or use drugs? | Not at all | Slightly | Moderately | Considerably | Extremely |
9 | Protective | How confident are you in your ability to be completely abstinent (clean) from alcohol and drugs in the next 30 days? | Not at all | Slightly | Moderately | Considerably | Extremely |
10 | Protective | In the past 30 days, how many days did you attend self-help meetings like AA or NA to support your recovery? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
11 | Risk | In the past 30 days, how many days were you in any situations or with any people that might put you at an increased risk for using alcohol or drugs (i.e., around risky “people, places or things”)? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
12 | Protective | Does your religion or spirituality help support your recovery? | Not at all | Slightly | Moderately | Considerably | Extremely |
13 | Protective | In the past 30 days, how many days did you spend much of the time at work, school, or doing volunteer work? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
14 | Protective | Do you have enough income (from legal sources) to pay for necessities such as housing, transportation, food and clothing for yourself and your dependents? | No | Yes | |||
15 | Risk | In the past 30 days, how much have you been bothered by arguments or problems getting along with any family members or friends? | Not at all | Slightly | Moderately | Considerably | Extremely |
16 | Protective | In the past 30 days, how many days were you in contact or spent time with any family members or friends who are supportive of your recovery? | 0 | 1-3 | 4-8 | 9-15 | 16-30 |
17 | How satisfied are you with your progress toward achieving your recovery goals? | Extremely | Considerably | Moderately | Slightly | Not at all |