Psychometric assessment of the Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System and the MOTHER NAS Scale.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

The present study examined the psychometric characteristics of the Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System (NASS; "Finnegan Scale") and the MOTHER NAS Scale (MNS).

METHODS

Secondary analysis of data from 131 neonates from the Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) study, a randomized trial in opioid-dependent pregnant women administered buprenorphine or methadone.

RESULTS

Both the NASS and MNS demonstrated poor psychometric properties, with internal consistency (Cronbach's αs) failing to exceed .62 at first administration, peak NAS score, and NAS treatment initiation.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support the need for development of a NAS measure based on sound psychometric principles.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study found that two frequently used measures of neonatal abstinence syndrome suffer inadequacies in regard to their basic measurement characteristics. (Am J Addict 2016;25:370-373).