The DSST Substance Abuse Exam

If you are pursuing a degree in health and social services, you will likely need to take courses in the effects of substance abuse. But if you already know most of the introductory information, you may want to consider testing out of the lower-level courses by taking the DSST Substance Abuse exam.
Depending on the requirements of your school, passing the DSST Substance Abuse exam may substitute for traditional classroom hours – allowing you to earn college credit for information you already know, and spend your money and time on higher-level courses toward your degree.
Here ‘s how it works – check with your college or university to see whether the DSST Substance Abuse exam will meet the requirements of a three-hour course in your degree plan. Then register and pay for the exam at a college that delivers DSST exams, study for the exam, and earn a passing score to receive credit.
To study for the exam, you will need to check out a DSST Substance Abuse study guide, which provides a detailed outline of what will appear on the exam. In addition to the study guide, you may also want to check out some reference books.
The DSST Substance Abuse exam covers 14 areas related to the social, physical, and psychological effects of different kinds of substance abuse. These areas are:

  1. Overview of Substance Abuse and Dependence Abuse
  2. Classification of Drugs
  3. Pharmacological and Neurophysiological Principles
  4. Alcohol
  5. Anti-anxiety and Sedative Hypnotics
  6. Inhaled Substances
  7. Tobacco and Nicotine
  8. Psychomotor Stimulants
  9. Opioids
  10. Cannabinoids
  11. Hallucinogens,
  12. Other Drugs of Abuse
  13. Antipsychotic Drugs
  14. Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers.

 

Last Updated: June 18, 2021