Factor structure of a Korean-language version of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) in a clinical sample of clients with alcohol dependence.

The Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) is an instrument used to measure the level of motivation in regards to changing drinking and other addictive behaviors. While some initial factor analysis studies on the SOCRATES described a three-factor orthogonal structure of the scale, some other studies found a two-factor correlated structure. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study was to test the validity of the Korean language version of the instrument using a Korean population. The study examined the factor structure of the Korean version of the SOCRATES with clinical samples consisting of 219 inpatients and 271 outpatients with alcohol dependency. An exploratory factor analysis with an alpha factoring method revealed a three-factor correlated structure (i.e., Taking Steps, Recognition, and Ambivalence). The factorial structure of the SOCRATES Korean version corresponded almost exactly to that of its original French version as well as the German version. Moreover, confirmatory factor analyses showed that a three-factor correlated structure provided the best fit for the data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol Use and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: The Effects of Consumption Level and Partner Type.

Alcohol use may increase HIV sexual risk behavior, although findings have varied across study populations and methods. Using event-level data from 1,712 seronegative men who have sex with men, the authors tested the hypothesis that social context would moderate the effect of alcohol consumption on unprotected anal sex (UAS). For encounters involving a primary partner, rates of UAS did not vary as a function of alcohol use. However, consumption of 4 or more drinks tripled the likelihood of UAS for episodes involving a nonprimary partner. Thus, the effects of alcohol vary according to the context in which it is used. Interventions to reduce substance-related risk should be tailored to the demands of maintaining sexual safety with nonprimary partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment to measure motivational readiness to change in psychiatric and dually diagnosed individuals.

In this report, the original 4-factor structure of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA; C. C. DiClemente & S. O. Hughes, 1990) was replicated, and the scale's internal consistency was found to be acceptable in a sample of 120 psychiatric and dually diagnosed inpatient participants, who had participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing standard treatment (ST) and ST plus motivational interviewing. Contrary to the authors' hypotheses, participants classified as having low motivational readiness to change, based on their URICA scores, demonstrated greater treatment adherence than high-readiness participants, in that they attended a greater proportion of therapy groups while hospitalized (54% vs. 39%; p