Withdrawal assessment
Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS)
Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) — administration and scoring reference.
Reference information · Score-entry tool
- Last content update
- 2026-10-26
- Clinical review
- Not independently reviewed
- Source jurisdiction
- See individual sources
- Coverage
- Score-entry tool
| Field | Instrument context |
|---|---|
| Version | SOWS; original Handelsman 16-item subjective withdrawal form |
| Respondent | Self-report |
| Purpose | Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) — administration and scoring reference. |
Clinician score entry
Ask the person to rate the intensity of all sixteen symptoms at the protocol’s assessment time. Use the same timing and edition for repeated observations.
Scores stay in this page’s memory. Reset or leave the page to clear them. Use the exact instrument version and its authorized form.
Administration
Ask the person to rate the intensity of all sixteen symptoms at the protocol’s assessment time. Use the same timing and edition for repeated observations.
Scoring method
Sum sixteen ratings scored 0–4: total range 0–64. Missing responses prevent a complete total; no severity bands are imposed here.
Interpretation & limitations
- A higher sum describes greater reported opioid-withdrawal symptoms. The original study supports the measure, not an automatic medication algorithm.
- Interpret the findings alongside the clinical interview, functioning, history and relevant physical assessment.
- Do not substitute the 13-sign OOWS or the COWS. Clinical examination, vital signs and other causes of symptoms remain necessary.
- Use the original instrument and manual for item wording, rating anchors, missing-data rules and any normative conversions. This reference does not establish a diagnosis or select treatment.