The 12 Step Affiliation and Practices Scale: development and initial validation of a measure assessing 12 step...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Limited research exists on instruments measuring 12-step beliefs and practices in individuals with substance use disorders.
• Developing reliable measurement tools is crucial for understanding treatment engagement and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the novel 12 Step Affiliation and Practices Scale (TSAPS).
• To assess the validity and reliability of the TSAPS in young adults undergoing residential treatment for alcohol and drug dependence.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 300 young adults in residential treatment completed the TSAPS and other assessments during and after treatment.
• Psychometric analyses included factor structure, internal consistency, sensitivity to change, and convergent and predictive validity.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor structure explaining 61.16% of the variance.
• The TSAPS demonstrated very high internal consistency and significantly increased scores over the course of treatment.
• Convergent validity was supported by correlations with treatment attitudes and commitment to sobriety; predictive validity was shown by linking TSAPS scores to abstinence rates post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• The TSAPS is a promising, psychometrically sound, and internally reliable instrument for measuring 12-step affiliation and practices.
• The scale's ability to track changes over time and predict outcomes highlights its clinical utility in substance dependence treatment.