Scale Overview
The Positive Outcomes of Cannabis Use Scale (POCUS) was developed by Jamie E. Parnes, Mark A. Prince, & Bradley T. Conner (2025). It is designed to measure Cannabis-Related Positive Outcomes. The scale is intended for use with Adults (18+).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 19 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Social Enhancement, Mood Enhancement, Cognitive Enhancement, Sexual Enhancement.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Social Enhancement |
1,6,14,18 |
4 |
| Mood Enhancement |
3,5,8,10,15,19 |
6 |
| Cognitive Enhancement |
2,7,11,13,17 |
5 |
| Sexual Enhancement |
4,9,12,16 |
4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Rarely, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Always/Almost Always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 19 to 95. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low frequency of positive outcomes: 19 – 44
- Moderate frequency of positive outcomes: 45 – 70
- High frequency of positive outcomes: 71 – 95
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of McDonald's Omega .85 – .87.
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.