Abstract: | Attempted to develop a reliable measure of preferences among types of controlled drugs, and examined the correspondence between the most preferred drug and the drug most frequently used. 130 17–29 yr old active multiple drug abusers rated their preferences among 11 combinations of controlled drugs and common methods of administration (e.g., smoking marihuana, snorting cocaine, shooting cocaine, injesting amphetamines, shooting amphetamines) using the method of paired comparisons. Edwards' coefficient of consistency indicated that preferences were highly consistent (.92) and therefore internally reliable. Nearly half of the Ss most preferred drugs other than the type that they most frequently used, and their preferences were related to the method of administration. Results suggest that preference is one of several determinants of drug use. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |