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Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST)

Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST)

In about 6 minutes, this test helps clarify how growing up with family alcohol problems may shape codependent patterns and emotions. It offers fast, practical insight to guide support and next steps.

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Questions: 306 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

25,305 views

1,953 completions

1,634 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

6/10

Aspect 4 (A4)

Aspect 4 measures the extent to which a child takes independent actions or makes plans to address a parent’s alcoholism or protect themselves from a dysfunctional family environment.

Low initiative

Moderate initiative

High initiative

0 – 3: Low initiative | 4 – 7: Moderate initiative | 8 – 10: High initiative

A score of 6 indicates a moderate level of independent efforts or planning to manage the impact of the parent’s drinking or to create personal safety within the family system.

example score

5/9

Domain 3 (D3)

Assesses the degree to which the child has been involved in family violence or conflict situations within an alcoholic family context.

Low involvement

Moderate involvement

High involvement

0 – 2: Low involvement | 3 – 6: Moderate involvement | 7 – 9: High involvement

A score of 5 falls in the Moderate involvement range, suggesting some notable exposure to or participation in family conflict or violent episodes.

example score

4/10

Aspect 2 (A2)

Aspect 2 measures how strongly a parent's alcohol problems have affected a child’s physical and psychological well-being.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 3: Low impact | 4 – 6: Moderate impact | 7 – 10: High impact

A score of 4 suggests a moderate level of impact, indicating some noticeable effects of the family situation on well-being without reflecting the most severe range.

example score

5/9

Aspect 1 (A1)

Aspect 1 measures the adult child's emotional involvement with the alcoholic parent and their reactions to alcoholism in the family.

Low involvement

Moderate involvement

High involvement

0 – 2: Low involvement | 3 – 6: Moderate involvement | 7 – 9: High involvement

A score of 5 suggests a moderate level of emotional reactivity and involvement with the family alcoholism issue.

example score

6/30

Overall Level of Codependency (OLoC)

Measures how strongly a person’s emotions and behavior remain tied to the effects of parental alcoholism and related family dynamics.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 3: Low | 4 – 10: Moderate | 11 – 30: High

A score of 6 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not severe degree of codependent patterns linked to family alcohol-related stress.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Adult children of alcoholics

46%OF USERS

Adults who grew up with a parent’s drinking and want to understand how it shaped their emotions, relationships, and coping habits.

Teens in drinking households

31%OF USERS

Teenagers who live with alcohol-related conflict at home and want clarity on stress, guilt, people-pleasing, or feeling responsible for others.

Helping professionals screening

23%OF USERS

Psychologists, counselors, social workers, or educators who need a quick starting point to assess codependency-related patterns linked to family alcoholism.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Aspect 4 (A4)

Average

7.1

Normal range

5.4 — 8.8

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Aspect 3 (A3)

Average

5.1

Normal range

3.8 — 6.4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Aspect 2 (A2)

Average

6.7

Normal range

5.3 — 8

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Aspect 1 (A1)

Average

4.1

Normal range

2.6 — 5.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Overall Level of Codependency (OLoC)

Average

14.5

Normal range

9.8 — 19.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It screens for patterns commonly linked to codependency in people raised in households affected by problem drinking. It focuses on emotional responses, coping habits, and family-role dynamics.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is intended for adolescents and adults who grew up with alcohol-related difficulties in the family. It may also be used when such history is suspected and needs structured screening.

What is the format and how long does it take?

It contains 30 brief items and typically takes about 6 minutes to complete. No special setting or materials are required.

How should items be answered?

Each item should be answered based on actual family experiences rather than general impressions. If an item does not apply, the closest response should be selected without extended analysis.

How are results interpreted and used?

Scores indicate the likely strength of codependency-related features and the impact of family alcohol problems on emotional functioning. Results are used to guide further assessment, referral, and treatment planning rather than to provide a standalone diagnosis.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Codependency Test for Children of Alcoholics, CAST

Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) - Symptoms and Signs

alcoholism addiction medicine codependency

This self-report screener is designed to assess perceptions and experiences commonly associated with growing up in a family affected by problematic alcohol use. The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) is typically used to support clinical intake, case formulation, and discussion of family-of-origin concerns.

The measure includes 30 items and is usually completed in about 6 minutes. Items ask respondents to reflect on alcohol-related family interactions and their emotional and behavioral impact, with the goal of identifying areas that may warrant further assessment. It was developed by Gerald R. Weeks and John C. Norcross.

Results from the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) should be interpreted in the context of a comprehensive evaluation, including clinical interview and relevant collateral information, and are not intended to serve as a standalone diagnosis.

Author: Gerald R. Weeks, John C. Norcross

Literature: Sher, K. J. Children of alcoholics: A critical appraisal of theory and research. University of Chicago Press. 1991.; Jones, J. W. The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test: A validity study. Psychology: Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. 1983.

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