Adaptation and Validation of the Brazilian DASE and TUD Scales for Cocaine/Crack Users

Autoeficácia para abstinência e a tentação para uso de drogas são importantes elementos na mudança dos comportamentos aditivos. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar as evidências psicométricas da validação e adaptação brasileira das escalas Drug Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale (DASE) e Temptation to Use Drugs Scale (TUD). A amostra foi de 300 homens em tratamento pela dependência de cocaína e crack. A análise fatorial exploratória e de consistência interna demonstraram a existência de quatro fatores na DASE, explicando 54% da variação total dos 24 itens e quatro fatores na TUD explicando 56% da variação total. O coeficiente alpha de Cronbach na DASE foi 0,920 e na TUD 0,927. A adaptação brasileira das escalas mostrou evidências de validade adequadas na amostra de dependentes de cocaína e crack internados.Autoeficacia para abstinencia y la tentación para el consumo de drogas han sido elementos importantes en el cambio de las conductas adictivas. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar las evidencias psicométricas de la validación y adaptación brasileña de las escalas: Escala de Autoeficacia para Abstinencia de las Drogas (DASE) y Escala de Tentación de Utilizar Medicamentos (TUD). La muestra consistió en 300 hombres que reciben tratamiento para la adicción a la cocaína y el crack. El análisis factorial exploratorio y de consistencia interna mostraron la existencia de cuatro factores en la DASE, que explican el 54% de la variación total de los 24 artículos; y cuatro factores que explican el 56% de la variación total en la TUD. El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach fue 0,920 en la DASE y 0,927 en la TUD. La adaptación brasileña de las escalas muestra evidencias de validez adecuadas en la muestra de dependientes de la cocaína y el crack admitidos.Self-efficacy for abstinence and temptation to use illicit drugs are demonstrably key elements of changing addictive behaviors. This study’s aim was to analyze the psychometric evidence for the Brazilian adaptation of the scales Drug Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale (DASE) and Temptation to Use Drugs Scale (TUD). The sample was composed of 300 men treated for cocaine and crack addiction. Análise Factorial Exploratory and internal consistency demonstrated the existence of four factors in the DASE that explained 54% of the total variation in the 24 items, and four factors in the TUD that explained 56% of the total change in the variation. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was at DSE .920 and TUD .927. The Brazilian adaptation of the scales showed appropriate evidence of validity in the sample of hospitalized individuals addicted to cocaine and crack

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Computer-assisted Motivational Intervention with Didactic Educational Counseling to Reduce Unprotected Sex in Female Adolescents

Study Objective: To examine a computer-assisted, counselor-guided motivational intervention (CAMI) aimed at reducing the risk of unprotected sexual intercourse. Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures: We conducted a 9-month, longitudinal randomized controlled trial with a multisite recruitment strategy including clinic, university, and social referrals, and compared the CAMI with didactic educational counseling in 572 female adolescents with a mean age of 17 years (SD = 2.2 years; range = 13-21 years; 59% African American) who were at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The primary outcome was the acceptability of the CAMI according to self-reported rating scales. The secondary outcome was the reduction of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease risk using a 9-month, self-report timeline follow-back calendar of unprotected sex. Results: We conducted a 9-month, longitudinal randomized controlled trial with a multisite recruitment strategy including clinic, university, and social referrals, and compared the CAMI with didactic educational counseling in 572 female adolescents with a mean age of 17 years (SD = 2.2 years; range = 13-21 years; 59% African American) who were at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The primary outcome was the acceptability of the CAMI according to self-reported rating scales. The secondary outcome was the reduction of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease risk using a 9-month, self-report timeline follow-back calendar of unprotected sex. Conclusion: Among those who completed the intervention, the CAMI reduced unprotected sex among an at-risk, predominantly minority sample of female adolescents. Modification of the CAMI to address methodological issues that contributed to a high drop-out rate are needed to make the intervention more acceptable and feasible for use among sexually active predominantly minority, at-risk, female adolescents

Addiction and Change: How Aaddictions Develop and Addicted People Recover

Contents: 1. Models of addiction and change 2. The process of human intentional behavior change 3. The well maintained addiction : an ending and a beginning 4. Exploring precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages of becoming addicted 5. Repeated and regular use : moving from preparation to action on the road to addiction 6. Precontemplation for recovery : cultivating seeds for change 7. The decision to change : moving from the contemplation to the preparation stage of recovery 8. Preparing for action : creating a plan 9. Taking action to change an addiction 10. The long haul : well-maintained recovery 11. Prevention : interfering with the process of becoming addicted 12. Designing interventions for recovery 13. Research on addiction and change. "The stages-of-change model has become widely known as a framework for conceptualizing recovery. Less well known are the processes that drive movement through the stages or how the stages apply to becoming addicted. From Carlo DiClemente, codeveloper of the Transtheoretical Model, this book offers a panoramic view of the entire continuum of addictive behavior change. Illuminated is the common path that individuals travel as they establish and reinforce new patterns of behavior, whether they are developing an addiction or struggling to free themselves from one, and regardless of the specific addictive behavior. Presenting cutting-edge research with significant clinical implications, the book addresses crucial questions of why, when, and how to intervene to bolster recovery in those already addicted and reach out effectively to people at risk. It is essential reading for clinicians, prevention specialists, and policymakers." [from Book Jacket]This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use

Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences Therapy Notes

Brief, monthly newsletter of the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences featuring articles by staff specialists on current treatments and other topics of importance to clinicians in the mental health profession. This issue discusses "Stress, coping, and substance use.

Self-change and therapy change of smoking behavior: A comparison of processes of change in cessation and maintenance

Cigarette smokers who quit on their own (n = 29) were compared with subjects from two commercial therapy programs: A version Group (n = 18) and Behavior Management Group (n = 16). Subjects were administered a Change-Process Questionnaire and a demographic and smoking-history questionnaire within seven weeks of successful cessation, then interviewed again in five months. Using a transtheoretical model of change developed by Prochaska (1979) six verbal and four behavioral processes of change and three stages of change (Decision to Change; Active Change; Maintenance) were analyzed. Subjects in each treatment group were middle class, heavy-smoking adults. The change-process analysis of cessation discriminated between the self-quitters and therapy quitters and between the two groups of therapy subjects on five variables. Stages of change interacted with the processes of change in the cessation of smoking behavior. Verbal processes were seen as important in making the decision to change while action processes were critical for breaking the actual smoking habit. Maintenance of cessation was related to, but not dependent on, how subjects actively changed smoking behavior. © 1982

Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences Therapy Notes

Brief, monthly newsletter of the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences featuring articles by staff specialists on current treatments and other topics of importance to clinicians in the mental health profession. This issue discusses "Steps of change in alcohol treatment: A lesson from space travel.

Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change

An integrative model of change was applied to the study of 872 Ss (mean age 40 yrs) who were changing their smoking habits on their own. Ss represented the following 5 stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and relapse. 10 processes of change were expected to receive differential emphases during particular stages of change. Results indicate that Ss (a) used the fewest processes of change during precontemplation; (b) emphasized consciousness raising during the contemplation stage; (c) emphasized self-reevaluation in both contemplation and action stages; (d) emphasized self-liberation, a helping relationship, and reinforcement management during the action stage; and (e) used counterconditioning and stimulus control the most in both action and maintenance stages. Relapsers responded as a combination of contemplaters and people in action would. Results are discussed in terms of developing a model of self-change of smoking and enhancing a more integrative general model of change. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1983 American Psychological Association