Robert J Wellman1, Maria Orlando Edelen2, Joseph R DiFranza3. 1. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. Electronic address: Robert.Wellman@umassmed.edu. 2. RAND Health, RAND Corporation, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 920, Boston, MA 02116, USA. Electronic address: olando@rand.org. 3. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. Electronic address: joseph.difranza@umassmemorial.org.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The Autonomy over Tobacco Scale (AUTOS) is composed of 12-symptoms of nicotine dependence. While it has demonstrated excellent reliability and validity, several psychometric properties have yet to be investigated. We aimed to determine (1) whether items functioned differently across demographic groups, (2) the likelihood that individual symptoms would be endorsed by smokers at different levels of diminished autonomy, and (3) the degree of information provided by each item and the reliability of the full AUTOS across the range of diminished autonomy. METHODS: Data for this study come from two convenience samples of American adult current smokers (n=777; 69% female; 88% white; Mage=34 years, range: 18-78), of whom 66% were daily smokers (Mcigarettes/smoking day=10.1, range: <1-70). Participants completed the AUTOS online as part of "a research study about the experiences people have when they smoke." RESULTS: After p value correction, items remained invariant across sex and minority status, while two items functioned differently according to age, with minimal impact on the total AUTOS score. Discriminative power of the items was high. The greatest amount of information is provided at just under one-half SD above the mean and the least at the extremes of diminished autonomy. The AUTOS maintains acceptable reliability (>0.70) across the range of diminished autonomy within which more than 95% of smokers' scores could be anticipated to fall. CONCLUSION: The AUTOS is a versatile and psychometrically sound instrument for measuring the loss of autonomy over tobacco use.
INTRODUCTION: The Autonomy over Tobacco Scale (AUTOS) is composed of 12-symptoms of nicotine dependence. While it has demonstrated excellent reliability and validity, several psychometric properties have yet to be investigated. We aimed to determine (1) whether items functioned differently across demographic groups, (2) the likelihood that individual symptoms would be endorsed by smokers at different levels of diminished autonomy, and (3) the degree of information provided by each item and the reliability of the full AUTOS across the range of diminished autonomy. METHODS: Data for this study come from two convenience samples of American adult current smokers (n=777; 69% female; 88% white; Mage=34 years, range: 18-78), of whom 66% were daily smokers (Mcigarettes/smoking day=10.1, range: <1-70). Participants completed the AUTOS online as part of "a research study about the experiences people have when they smoke." RESULTS: After p value correction, items remained invariant across sex and minority status, while two items functioned differently according to age, with minimal impact on the total AUTOS score. Discriminative power of the items was high. The greatest amount of information is provided at just under one-half SD above the mean and the least at the extremes of diminished autonomy. The AUTOS maintains acceptable reliability (>0.70) across the range of diminished autonomy within which more than 95% of smokers' scores could be anticipated to fall. CONCLUSION: The AUTOS is a versatile and psychometrically sound instrument for measuring the loss of autonomy over tobacco use.
Authors: Alina Ionela Palimaru; William E Cunningham; Marcus Dillistone; Arturo Vargas-Bustamante; Honghu Liu; Ron D Hays Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2018-04-26 Impact factor: 3.966