Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ)

The severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ, SAD-Q) was first published in the British Journal of Addiction.

The SADQ is sometimes used to to predict the levels of medication needed during alcohol detoxification.

The test is divided into 5 sections:

1. Physical withdrawal symptoms
2. Affective withdrawal symptoms
3. Craving and relief drinking
4. Typical daily consumption
5. Reinstatement of dependence after a period of abstinence.

Each item is scored on a 4-point scale, giving a possible range of 0 to 60.  A score of over 30 indicates severe alcohol dependence.

The SADQ Test

1. The day after drinking alcohol, do you wake up feeling sweaty?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
2. The day after drinking alcohol, do your hands shake first thing in the morning?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
3. The day after drinking alcohol, does your body shake violently first thing in the morning if you don't have a drink?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
4. The day after drinking alcohol, do you wake up drenched in sweat?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
5. The day after drinking alcohol, do you dread waking up?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
6. The day after drinking alcohol, are you frightened of meeting people first thing in the morning?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
7. The day after drinking alcohol, do you feel at the edge of despair when you wake up?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
8. The day after drinking alcohol, do you feel frightened when you wake up?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
9. The day after drinking alcohol, do you like a drink in the morning?
   (1) Almost never
   (2) Sometimes
   (3) Often
   (4) Nearly always
10. The day after drinking alcohol, do you gulp your first few drinks down as fast as possible?
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
11. The day after drinking alcohol, do you drink to get rid of the shakes?
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
12. The day after drinking alcohol, do you have a strong craving for drink when you wake up?
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
13. During a heavy drinking period, do you drink more than 1/4 bottle of spirits (or 1 bottle of wine, or 4 pints of beer) each day.
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
14. During a heavy drinking period, do you drink more than half a bottle of spirits per day (8 pints of beer, 2 bottles of wine).
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
15. During a heavy drinking period, do you drink more than a bottle of spirits per day (3 bottles of wine, 5 litres of cider or 10 pints of lager)
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly always
16. During a heavy drinking period, do you drink more than 2 bottles of spirits per day (7 bottles of wine, 9 litres of cider, 20 pints of beer).
    (1) Almost never
    (2) Sometimes
    (3) Often
    (4) Nearly alwaysFOR THE NEXT 4 QUESTIONS:
    Imagine you have been abstinent for a few weeks, then drink heavily for a couple of days.
17. The morning after would you start to sweat?
    (0) Not at all
    (1) Slightly
    (2) Moderately
    (3) Nearly always
    (4) I haven't been abstinent for that long, so it's hard to say
18. ...would your hands shake?
    (0) Not at all
    (1) Slightly
    (2) Moderately
    (3) Nearly always
    (4) I haven't been abstinent for that long, so it's hard to say
19. ...would your body shake?
    (0) Not at all
    (1) Slightly
    (2) Moderately
    (3) Nearly always
    (4) I haven't been abstinent for that long, so it's hard to say
20. ...would you be craving for a drink?
    (0) Not at all
    (1) Slightly
    (2) Moderately
    (3) Nearly always
    (4) I haven't been abstinent for that long, so it's hard to say

Scoring the Test

The test is scored by totaling the numbers in the parenthesis next to the answers given by the participant.

• A score of less than 3 indicates no alcohol dependence.
• A score between 4 and 20 indicates mild dependence.
• A score between 20 and 30 indicates moderate dependence.
• A score of over 30 indicates severe dependence.

If you have additional questions, or if you would like us to provide you with a no-cost, no-commitment, confidential consultation, please contact one of our treatment specialists.