The Assessment of Craving in Addiction Research

Although an association between addiction and craving has existed since antiquity, the relationship has only been the focus of scientific study over the past 60 years. This chapter provides a systematic review of the instruments developed for the assessment of craving. First, it reviews the standardized and validated methods used in the field. It focuses on measures developed for the assessment of alcohol, cigarette, and illicit drug craving and discusses the psychometric properties of both tonic craving and phasic craving. Second, it reviews alternatives to self‐report assessments, such as psychophysiological indices, cognitive tasks, and behavioral economic measures of value. Third, it discusses special considerations in the assessment of craving, such as developmental factors and cultural factors. Finally, the chapter analyzes the limitations and priorities for future research and makes recommendations and directions of future research.