OBJECTIVE: Although several multi-item scales assess readiness to change alcohol consumption, some researchers have proposed that a small number of single-item rulers may assess readiness nearly as well. PARTICIPANTS: In fall 2006 and spring 2007, the authors assessed 279 participants who reported at least 1 heavy drinking episode in the 2 weeks prior to the survey. METHODS: The authors compared answers from the Readiness to Change Questionnaire with rulers measuring importance and confidence regarding change. RESULTS: Importance correlated strongly with readiness to change, whereas confidence correlated negatively and less strongly with readiness. The validity of the importance ruler as a proxy for readiness was supported by its correlations with several measures of patterns of alcohol use, as well as its precursors and consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Given the strong correlation between the importance ruler and the Readiness to Change score, this method may have practical utility as a brief assessment tool. Adding confidence as a second dimension slightly improved the ability to predict readiness.
OBJECTIVE: Although several multi-item scales assess readiness to change alcohol consumption, some researchers have proposed that a small number of single-item rulers may assess readiness nearly as well. PARTICIPANTS: In fall 2006 and spring 2007, the authors assessed 279 participants who reported at least 1 heavy drinking episode in the 2 weeks prior to the survey. METHODS: The authors compared answers from the Readiness to Change Questionnaire with rulers measuring importance and confidence regarding change. RESULTS: Importance correlated strongly with readiness to change, whereas confidence correlated negatively and less strongly with readiness. The validity of the importance ruler as a proxy for readiness was supported by its correlations with several measures of patterns of alcohol use, as well as its precursors and consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Given the strong correlation between the importance ruler and the Readiness to Change score, this method may have practical utility as a brief assessment tool. Adding confidence as a second dimension slightly improved the ability to predict readiness.
Authors: Hilary L Surratt; Janet K Otachi; Timothy Williams; Jennifer Gulley; A Scott Lockard; Rebecca Rains Journal: J Rural Health Date: 2019-08-15 Impact factor: 4.333
Authors: Alan K Davis; Brooke J Arterberry; Erin E Bonar; Stephen T Chermack; Frederic C Blow; Rebecca M Cunningham; Maureen A Walton Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2018-05-05 Impact factor: 4.492