The Recovery Village
By The Recovery Village
Updated on01/16/20
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MAST Alcohol Assessment

The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, also referred to as the MAST alcohol test, is a self-scoring questionnaire developed to assess the presence and severity of drinking problems. It’s one of the oldest and widely used tools for detecting alcohol abuse, and there have been many variations developed since its inception. The following version consists of 22 self-scoring alcohol assessment test questions.

Check the answer that best describes your answer to each question. Your answers will remain confidential, so please be honest.

This self-assessment should not be considered as a final diagnosis but can be your first step in determining whether your drinking habits are a reason for concern. Please consult a medical professional if your MAST test results indicate a likelihood for alcohol addiction.

1. Do you feel you are a normal drinker?
2. Have you ever woke up in the morning after drinking the night before and found that you could not remember a part of the evening?
3. Do any of your close relatives or friends worry or complain about your drinking?
4. Can you stop drinking without difficulty after one or two drinks?
5. Do you ever feel guilty about your drinking?
6. Have you ever attended a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
7. Have you ever gotten into physical fights when drinking?
8. Has drinking ever created problems between you and a near relative or close friend?
9. Has any family member or close friend gone to anyone for help about your drinking?
10. Have you ever lost friends because of your drinking?
11. Have you ever gotten into trouble at work because of drinking?
12. Have you ever lost a job because of drinking?
13. Have you ever neglected your obligations, your family or your work for two or more days in a row because you were drinking?
14. Do you drink before noon fairly often?
15. Have you ever been told you have liver trouble such as cirrhosis?
16. After heavy drinking have you ever had delirium tremens (D.T.'s), severe shaking, visual or auditory (hearing) hallucinations?
17. Have you ever gone to anyone for help about your drinking?
18. Have you ever been hospitalized because of drinking?
19. Has your drinking ever resulted in your being hospitalized in a psychiatric ward?
20. Have you ever gone to any doctor, social worker, clergyman or mental health clinic for help with any emotional problem in which drinking was part of the problem?
21. Have you been arrested more than once for driving under the influence of alcohol?
22. Have you ever been arrested, even for a few hours because of other behavior while drinking?

You have completed all of the MAST questions.

Click the Submit button below to view your results.



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History of the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test

The MAST alcohol assessment quiz was developed in 1971 for the general population as a 25-question test initially. It can be self-administered or taken in interview format with a qualified interviewer. Since it was first created, it has been successful in identifying dependent drinkers with up to 98 percent accuracy. Other variations of the MAST screening test include a shortened version of 22 questions, such as the one on this page; the MAST-G (24 questions) and Short-MAST-G (10 questions) tools for geriatric clients; the 10-question Brief MAST screening; and the 13-question Short-MAST. The 22-question version and other condensed versions were created to provide a faster, accurate assessment for detecting alcoholism.

About the MAST Test Questions

Unlike other alcohol evaluation questions, the MAST assessment focuses primarily on past drinking and alcohol-related incidents, with no specificity of a time frame. It includes only a few questions about current alcohol habits and potential signs of addiction. This makes it less reliable in detecting early signs of alcoholism. The extent of the questions, however, provides many benefits that shorter tests don’t. One is that it allows for more open communication between the qualified interviewer (doctor, counselor, etc.) and interviewee. Questions in the MAST alcohol screening tool address self-evaluation of societal, occupational and family issues related to excessive drinking.

MAST Alcohol Test Scoring

All of the MAST alcohol screening tests are scored on a point scale system. Each response has a value attached to it. Scores of 0-2 indicate no apparent drinking problem. Scores of 3-5 designate a potential drinking problem. Scores of 6 or higher point to a high probability of alcohol abuse. Keep in mind that the results of the MAST alcohol screening test — or any alcohol quiz — are not intended as an official diagnosis. An official alcoholism diagnosis can only be made by a licensed professional. If anyone’s ever asked you, “Are you an alcoholic?” these 22 questions are the first step in finding out.

  • References

    Buddy, T. “Michigan Alcohol Screening Test”. About.Com.

    National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of the San Fernando Valley. “Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST).”

    Project Cork. “Clinical Tools”. Project Cork.

    Shields, A.L.; Howell, R. T.; Potter, J.; Weiss, R. D. (2007). “The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test and Its Shortened Form: A Meta-Analytical Inquiry Into Score Reliability”. Substance Use and Misuse. 42 (11): 1783–1800.

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