What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction.

Where was this research published?

Published in The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse on August 20, 2026.

A reliable screen for problematic cannabis use in Chilean students

Q: What did this research study find?

A revised one-factor *CAST* model showed **excellent fit** and adequate reliability in a national sample of **6,521** Chilean higher education students who used cannabis.

Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST): Psychometric properties and measurement invariance in a national sample of Chilean higher education students.

The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse • August 20, 2026 • Highly Relevant

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AI Summary

This study evaluated the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) in 6,521 Chilean higher education students who used cannabis. The researchers found that a revised one-factor version of the test fit the data well and showed adequate reliability, suggesting that its questions consistently capture a single underlying pattern of problematic cannabis use.

The test generally worked similarly across gender, geographic regions, and types of educational institutions, although a small number of item adjustments were needed for full comparability. Earlier cannabis use initiation and more frequent use in the past year were both associated with higher problematic-use scores. These findings support the CAST as a useful tool for research, surveillance, and potentially identifying students who may benefit from further assessment; it is a screening measure rather than a diagnosis.

💡 Key Findings

A revised one-factor CAST model showed excellent fit and adequate reliability in a national sample of 6,521 Chilean higher education students who used cannabis.

High

90%

The CAST showed generally strong measurement equivalence across gender, geographic regions, and institution types, although some item-level adjustments were required.

High

85%

Earlier cannabis-use onset and more frequent past-year use were each associated with higher latent problematic-use scores; these associations do not establish causation.

High

80%

The findings support the CAST for research and surveillance of problematic cannabis use among Chilean higher education students.

High

85%

📄 Original Abstract

Background: Cannabis use is prevalent in young adults, and earlier onset and frequent use increase risk for problematic use. In Chile, the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) is widely used, but evidence in higher education students remains limited.Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the CAST in a national sample of Chilean higher education students.Methods: Secondary analyses of the Third Study of Drug Use in Higher Education (EDES) included cannabis users (N = 6,521; 54.9% female). Confirmatory factor analysis (WLSMV) and McDonald's ω assessed structure and reliability; multigroup CFA tested invariance; structural equation modeling regressed the latent CAST factor on age of onset and past-year use frequency.Results: A revised one-factor model with a correlated residual between Items 1 and 2 fit well (CFI = .996, RMSEA = .033) and was reliable (ω = .843). Scalar invariance held across gender (partial residual invariance after freeing Item 6 residual variance), full residual invariance held across macrozones, and metric plus partial scalar invariance held across institution types after freeing the Item 6 intercept. Earlier onset (β = -.229, p < .001) and higher past-year use frequency (β = .221, p < .001) were associated with higher latent problematic use.Conclusion: The CAST showed a coherent unidimensional structure, adequate score reliability, and generally strong, although not uniform, measurement equivalence across relevant groups. These findings support its use for research and surveillance within Chilean higher education students.