Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale – DASES
Measures an individual's self-efficacy in resisting or avoiding drug and alcohol use across various high-risk situations.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale – DASES was developed by Garth W. Martin, D. Adrian Wilkinson, Constantine X. Poulos (1995). It is designed to measure Drug avoidance self-efficacy. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents with substance use concerns.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 17 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = certainly yes, 2 = probably yes, 3 = likely yes, 4 = can't say, 5 = probably no, 6 = likely no, 7 = certainly no.
The scale includes 9 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 17 to 119. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy: 17 – 50
- Moderate Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy: 51 – 85
- High Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy: 86 – 119
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (typically Cronbach's alpha > 0.90).
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.