Drug Avoidance Self Efficacy Scale (DASES): A cultural adaptation and validation study

Abstract

Background: Drug avoidance self efficacy has always been an important issue in substance abuse treatment and its important has emphasized in specific models of addiction. This study describes the process of cultural adaptation, validation and dimensionality of the Persian version of “Drug Avoidance Self Efficacy Scale”.

Methods: Cultural adaptation process followed the procedure outlined by Beaton et al. Psychometric properties and dimensionality of the scale were assessed using sample of Iranian addicts (n = 317). The DASES was subject to independent exploratory (n = 157, mean age 29.40 ± 7.26) and confirmatory (n = 160, mean age 27.99 ± 5.70) factor analysis. Internal consistency of the questionnaire also was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.

Results: There was no eliminated item in the cultural adaptation process. Results of exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor 14-item structure for the DASES. Secondary order, two-factor model provided a good statistical and conceptual fit for the data. The analysis of internal consistency of DASES was very satisfactory (α = 0.809).

Conclusions: Although culturally adapted DASES is a potentially reliable and valid measure of substance users’ perceptions of avoidance self-efficacy, the findings should be viewed as preliminary in nature. Future research needs to determine to what extent substance users’ perceptions of avoidance self efficacy impact on treatment outcomes.

Keywords:

• Cultural adaptation
• DASES
• psychometric properties
• Persian version

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Southern Khorasan province Welfare Organization for cooperation with the project. Also, we would sincerely like to thank both the staff and the clients of the Treatment Centers involved in this study for participating and co-operating anonymously, without whom this research would not have been possible.

Declaration of interest

There are no conflicts of interest to report. This study was supported by the Deputy of Research and Technology of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.