The reliability and validity of drug users' self reports of amphetamine use among primarily heroin and cocaine users

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• 作者：Lucy E. Napper ; Dennis G. Fisher ; Mark E. Johnson ; Michele M. Wood
• 关键词：Amphetamine ; Reliability ; Validity ; Self-report
• 刊名：Addictive Behaviors
• 出版年：2010
• 出版时间：April 2010
• 年：2010
• 卷：35
• 期：4
• 页码：350-354
• 全文大小：155 K

文摘

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 h 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.