Relatively few studies have addressed the psychometric properties of self-report measures of amphetamine use. This study examines the reliability and validity of the Risk Behavior Assessment's (RBA) lifetime and recent amphetamine-use questions. To evaluate validity, 4027 out-of-treatment primarily cocaine and heroin users provided urine samples that were compared to self-report data; to evaluate reliability, 218 completed the RBA at two time points, 48 hours apart. In the overall sample, self-reports demonstrated moderately high validity, with a 95% accuracy rate (kappa =.54). When analysis was restricted to recent amphetamine users validity was slightly lower (71.5% accuracy; kappa = .41). Test-retest data indicated good reliability for self-reports of ever having used amphetamine (kappa =.79), and amphetamine use in the past 30 days (.75 < r < .91). Out-of-treatment drug users provided accurate self-reports of amphetamine use. Reliable and valid measures are essential for describing and predicting trends in amphetamine use, evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, and developing policies and programs.
The reliability and validity of drug users' self reports of amphetamine use among primarily heroin and cocaine users
Year
Pages
350-354
Published in
Addictive Behaviors
35 (4)
Library number
20230115 ST [electronic version only]
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