What is the purpose of the TLFB procedure in substance use assessment?

The TLFB (Timeline Followback) procedure is primarily designed to track daily substance use over a certain period, typically focusing on a month or even longer. This method allows individuals to report their substance consumption accurately with the support of a structured timeline, helping to recall amounts and frequency more reliably.

In addition to tracking, TLFB can provide insights into the context of substance use, including identifying triggers and circumstances surrounding use, as well as any significant life events that may be connected. However, while it can provide data that might imply a correlation between life events and substance use behavior, its primary focus is on the specifics of the substance use pattern itself.

This makes option A the most accurate representation of TLFB’s main objective. It specifically aids in understanding how often and how much substances were used, thus serving as a foundational tool in assessment and treatment planning in substance use contexts. The other options - evaluating severity, analyzing life events, and determining treatment needs - can be indirectly supported through the data collected by TLFB but are not its core purpose.