Why recovery?

What is the best measure?

Recovery is classed as a ‘dimension’ outcome measure; it is essentially a quality of life measure where a successful recovery is about living a normal life, whatever that might mean, and at the same time coping effectively with addiction. Recovery is, therefore, suggested as one of the four key measures of addiction outcomes. The recommended scale, built into Take-a-Test, is the ARQ.

the measurement scales…

Addiction Recovery Questionnaire - ARQ

  • Timeframe :: The last 30 days

  • Completion time :: <2 minutes

  • Scoring :: All items are scored 0-1-2-3 (questions 5,6,8 and 9 are reverse scored) giving a maximum of 36. Up to two unanswered items can be pro-rated by allocating the mean score for the valid responses

  • Cut-off scores :: The scale developers recommend seeing recovery as a continuous data variable and have not suggested cut-off points. A very high score would indicate a lifestyle beyond most people in the general population

  • Clinically significant change :: The reliable change score is >=4 and functional population scores >22

  • Licence: BY-NC-ND

The ARQ was designed on the basis of what service users, their family and friends, and addiction specialists thought recovery means. It is a treatment planning tool and outcome measure. The substance use involvement sub-scale distinguishes the ARQ from quality of life measures. Values are given for calculating clinically significant change.

User guide

References (psychometrics)

Thurgood S, Crosby H, Raistrick D, Tober G (2014) Service user, family and friends' views on the meaning of a 'good outcome' of treatment for an addiction problem. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy 21: 324-32

Iveson-Brown K & Raistrick D (2016) A brief Addiction Recovery Questionnaire derived from the views of service users and concerned others. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy 23: 41-7

Truby P (2020) Validation of the Addiction Recovery Questionnaire. University of Leeds MPhil Dissertation

Truby P, Hewitt C, Raistrick D, Tober G & Watson J (2023) Measuring Recovery: The Addiction Recovery Questionnaire (ARQ), Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2023.2167529

References (translations)

Saghir M, Bhatti MI & Ahmed F (2023) Translation and validation of Addiction Recovery Questionnaire (ARQ). Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 4: 94-101 https://doi.org/10.55737/qjssh.143024809 (translation to Urdu)

  • Recovery scales are essentially Quality of Life scales but slanted towards the inclusion of items that are relevant to people with an addiction problem

    Assessment of Recovery Capital - ARC

    Twelve Promises Scale -TPS

    Substance Abuse Treatment Scale - SATS

  • Euroqol Five Dimensions - EQ5D

    Basic Needs Satisfaction in General - BNSG

    WHO Quality of Life (brief) - WHOQOL