Drugs Decisional Balance Scales – DDBS
Measures the subjective pros and cons of drug use to assess an individual's decision-making and readiness to change.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Drugs Decisional Balance Scales – DDBS was developed by Velicer, W. F., DiClemente, C. C., & Prochaska, J. O. (1985). It is designed to measure Decisional Balance (Pros and Cons of Drug Use). The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Pros of Using Drugs, Cons of Using Drugs.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Pros of Using Drugs | 2,4,7,9,11,14,16,17,19,20 | 10 |
| Cons of Using Drugs | 1,3,5,6,8,10,12,13,15,18 | 10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not important at all, 2 = Slightly important, 3 = Moderately important, 4 = Very important, 5 = Extremely important.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 10 to 50. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Importance: 10 – 25
- Moderate Importance: 26 – 37
- High Importance: 38 – 50
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (typically alpha > 0.80).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.