Prediction of Risk for Drug Use in High School Students

Abstract

On the basis of questionnaires administered to almost 2,000 high school students in Cali, Colombia, a subset of items was selected that deal primarily with parent-child relationships. This 53 item set, referred to as the Drug Risk Scale (DRS), was administered to two new cross-validation samples, one consisting of high school students and the other consisting of drug addicts attending drug rehabilitation centers. Significant differences in parent—child relations were found between these new groups. The DRS was also found to have reasonably high sensitivity and specificity. Its potential value as a risk-prediction instrument is discussed.