Reliability Testing and Validation of the Drug Attitude Scale

• Published in: Substance use & misuse Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. 763 - 770
• Main Authors: Campbell, Stephen N., Chang, Annie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 01.01.2006; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Assessment; Attitude; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Drug addiction; Drug Attitude Scale; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Psychoanalysis; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Rehabilitation; Scales; Southeastern United States; Substance abuse; substance use and misuse; Substance-Related Disorders; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; Toxicology; Validity; Southeastern United States; Human; Drug addiction; substance use and misuse; Attitude; Psychology; attitudes; Substance abuse; Medical screening; Test validation; Addiction; Drug Attitude Scale; Reliability; Psychiatry
• ISSN: 1082-6084; 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.1080/10826080500411452

This study was designed to provide reliability testing and validity information of the Drug Attitude Scale (DAS). One hundred twenty-eight subjects were drawn from a residential substance abuse1 treatment program within a community mental health center. Seventy-five percent of the subjects were males and 25% were females. Age ranged from 18 to 58 years. For the entire sample, coefficient alpha was found to be 0.87. Reliability estimates for the two subscales were also found to be quite similar. Clinical construct validity utilizing factor analysis strongly support the two-dimensional nature of the DAS and the accuracy of the instrument's scoring key. Initial testing of the DAS suggests that the scale represent a useful addition to the area of substance user assessment and rehabilitation.