Peer relations scale for adolescents treated for substance use disorder: a factor analytic presentation

Abstract

BackgroundThe literature indicates that peer relations are an important aspect of the treatment and recovery of adolescents with substance use disorder (SUD). Unfortunately, no standard measure of peer relations exists. The objective of this research is to use exploratory factor analysis to examine the underlying factor structure of a 14-item peer relations scale for use in this treatment population.MethodsParticipants are 509 adolescents discharged from primary substance abuse treatment from 2003–2010. The data are from research conducted between six and twelve months post discharge via a 230-item questionnaire that included the 14-item peer relations scale. The scale has questions that assess the degree to which the adolescent's social contacts conform to norms of positive behavior and therefore foster non-use and recovery. The response rate was 62%.ResultsThe scale was decomposed by principal component factor analysis. When the matrix was rotated by varimax a three factor solution explaining 99.99% of the common variance emerged. The first factor yielded ten items that measure association with peers who engage in positive versus delinquent social behavior (positive versus negative social behavior). The three items in the second factor specify association with peers who use versus those who don’t use drugs, and thereby encourage recovery and discourage drug use (drug use). The third and factor contained two items measuring the degree to which the recovering adolescent associates with new or previous friends (post treatment peer association).ConclusionsThis scale is useful as a standard measure in that it begins to identify the measurable dimensions of peer relations that influence sustaining post treatment recovery.

Perfilando los consumidores de cannabis que autocultivan a pequeña escala

“…Este entramado social y de consumo es facilitador de la permanencia en su consumo (Parrott, Morinan, Moss, y Scholey, 2004), así como de la recaída (Dishion y Owen, 2002;Yao, Ciesla, Mazurek, y Spear, 2012), al tiempo que obstaculiza el tratamiento (Bobes y Calafat, 2000).…”

Developing a Peer Relationship Scale for Adolescents: a validity and reliability study

“…For this reason, valid and reliable measurement tools that can measure peer relationships play an important role in conducting research on children’s peer relationships. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the peer relationships of children and adolescents ( Armsden & Greenberg, 1987 ; Bukowski et al, 1994 ; DeWalt et al, 2013; Finger et al, 2008 ; Hudson, 1990 ; Hulsey, 2008 ; Kaner, 2000 ; Klarin, 2000 ; Parada, 2000 ; Parker & Asher, 1993 ; Pierce et al, 1991 ; Rigby & Slee, 1993 ; Yao et al, 2012 ). Upon examination of the scales, most of them were revealed to have been developed more than 20 years ago.…”

“…However, there are some limitations in the recently developed scales. Some of these scales created scale items based on a theory ( Yao et al, 2012 ); groups with chronic diseases (DeWalt et al, 2013); application in children/adolescents addicted to substances ( Yao et al, 2012 ) or cases of peer bullying ( Hulsey, 2008 ); or testing on limited age groups ( Finger et al, 2008 ). When the scales developed are examined in general, it can be said that they have disadvantages such as not being theoretically based, being developed in limited age groups and special groups (such as chronic disease, substance addiction), evaluating peer relationships based on peer bullying, and not being current.…”