Scale Overview
The Alcohol Decisional Balance Scale – ADBS was developed by Carlo C. DiClemente, Wayne F. Velicer, James O. Prochaska (1990). It is designed to measure Decisional balance for alcohol use. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Pros of Drinking, Cons of Drinking.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Pros of Drinking |
2,4,7,9,11,14,16,17,19,20 |
10 |
| Cons of Drinking |
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.
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 for both subscales).
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.