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Cited by 684Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesPsychometric Methodologies and TestingAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

The measurement of drug craving

Open access
Sayette, Michael A., Shiffman, Saul, Tiffany, Stephen T., Niaura, Raymond S., Martin, Christopher S., Schadel, William G.·2000·Addiction
DOI 10.1046/j.1360-0443.95.8s2.8.xPMC PMC2683662
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Abstract

This paper reviews theoretical and methodological issues in the measurement of drug craving, with an emphasis on self‐report assessment. Despite the important role that craving plays in many research and clinical settings, the way in which the construct is conceptualized and measured rarely receives sufficient attention. Issues pertinent to conceptualizing craving are identified. Because there is no single perfect measure of craving, it is essential that researchers understand the limitations of each measure. Measurement performance concerns that affect the validity of different measures are reviewed. Non‐verbal assessment methods are also reviewed. Research factors that may help determine the optimal measures for a given study are highlighted. It is concluded that advances in assessment will proceed only when combined with additional research and a better theoretical understanding of craving.

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  • Multi-item scales may offer improved reliability and sensitivity compared with single-item scales.

    “Although multi-item scales may offer improved reliability and sensitivity compared with single-item scales (12, 62), they can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and lead to respondent disengagement, demotivation, and increased reactivity (62, 63).”

    From Craving in Opioid Use Disorder: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice (2019) · cites this paper as [62]

  • Multi-item scales can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and lead to respondent disengagement, demotivation, and increased reactivity.

    “Although multi-item scales may offer improved reliability and sensitivity compared with single-item scales (12, 62), they can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and lead to respondent disengagement, demotivation, and increased reactivity (62, 63).”

    From Craving in Opioid Use Disorder: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice (2019) · cites this paper as [62]

  • Observational methods can be challenging to implement in clinical practice and may reflect more than just craving alone.

    “However, observational methods can be challenging to implement in clinical practice and may reflect more than just craving alone (61, 62).”

    From Craving in Opioid Use Disorder: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice (2019) · cites this paper as [62]

  • Multi-item scales can be used to assess craving; for example, the Opioid Craving Scale includes three questions each rated on a 0-10 visual analogue scale.

    “Alternatively, multi-item scales can be used to assess craving (62), for example, the Opioid Craving Scale includes three questions each rated on a 0–10 VAS.”

    From Craving in Opioid Use Disorder: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice (2019) · cites this paper as [62]

  • In domains such as drug addiction and hunger, researchers have struggled to establish a gold-standard behavioral metric of subjective craving with better external validity than self-report.

    “Note, however, that, also in domains such as drug addiction and hunger, researchers have struggled to establish a gold-standard behavioral metric of subjective craving with better external validity than self-report45.”

    From Acute social isolation evokes midbrain craving responses similar to hunger (2020) · cites this paper as [45]

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 11

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Authors
Sayette, M. A., Shiffman, S., Tiffany, S. T., Niaura, R. S., Martin, C. S., & Schadel, W. G.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
  • Brown University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Addiction
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2000-08
Volume
95
Issue
8s2
Pages
189-210
ISSN
  • 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
  • 1360-0443
DOI
10.1046/j.1360-0443.95.8s2.8.x
PMC
PMC2683662
OpenAlex
W1991983775
Cited by
684
References
117
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 91 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 37 · 2012: 41
FWCI
9.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 640 d)
Locations
  • Addiction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r29aa009918-05)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA09918)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA10605, R01DA010605)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA159463)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
drug craving, craving measurement, self-report measures, construct validity, nonverbal assessment, measurement instruments
MeSH terms
Humans, Research Design, Self Disclosure, Sensitivity and Specificity, Reproducibility of Results, Behavior, Addictive

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