Scale Overview
The Drug Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale – DASES-20 was developed by Carlo C. DiClemente, Wayne F. Velicer, Joseph S. Rossi, James O. Prochaska (1990). It is designed to measure Drug Abstinence Self-Efficacy. The scale is intended for use with Individuals with substance use disorders.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Negative Affect, Social/Positive, Physical and Other Concerns, Cravings and Urges.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Negative Affect |
3,6,14,16,18 |
5 |
| Social/Positive |
4,8,15,17,20 |
5 |
| Physical and Other Concerns |
2,5,9,12,13 |
5 |
| Cravings and Urges |
1,7,10,11,19 |
5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all confident, 2 = Not very confident, 3 = Moderately confident, 4 = Very confident, 5 = Extremely confident.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 20 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Self-Efficacy: 20 – 39
- Moderately Low Self-Efficacy: 40 – 59
- Moderately High Self-Efficacy: 60 – 79
- High Self-Efficacy: 80 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Negative Affect: .92, Social/Positive: .92, Physical and Other Concerns: .87, Withdrawal/Urges: .89.
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.