Validation of the revised Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders present complex treatment challenges.
• Accurate assessment of patient-reported problems is crucial for effective dual-diagnosis treatment.
• Existing measures may require refinement for specific patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients (PASUPP).
• To develop a revised, psychometrically sound measure for individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.
• To establish the reliability and validity of the revised PASUPP (PASUPP-R).

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted on the original 50-item PASUPP.
• A sample of 278 outpatients with co-occurring AUD and schizophrenia/bipolar disorder participated.
• Psychometric properties including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were assessed.

Main Results:

• The original 1-factor model was not supported; a 27-item, 4-factor PASUPP-R (Physical Problems, Aggression, Social/Financial Consequences, Psychological Problems) emerged.
• The PASUPP-R demonstrated good internal consistency (α=.77–.81) and 1-week test-retest reliability (r=.67–.73).
• PASUPP-R scores showed expected associations with measures of psychiatric symptoms, substance use, and related problems, supporting convergent validity.

Conclusions:

• The revised PASUPP (PASUPP-R) is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing problems in patients with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.
• The four-factor structure provides a nuanced understanding of patient-reported difficulties.
• The PASUPP-R is a valuable tool for outpatient dual-diagnosis treatment settings.