The Crack Use Relapse Scale (CURS): development and psychometric validation

A pilot study with 30 male crack users was conducted to generate 35 sentences related to the construct of interest. A five-point Likert scale including 25 items and, initially, nine theoretical factors was generated and utilized in a cross-sectional study with a sample of 333 hospitalized male crack users.

Results:

Overall Cronbach's alpha was α = 0.86. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with oblimin rotation kept the 25 items (factor loadings > 0.40) and six definitive factors, which explained 62.1% of the total variance.

Conclusions:

The six-factor model yielded by the EFA of the CURS reflects the various dimensions of the construct, assigning satisfactory values and demonstrating good psychometric properties, including validity and reliability.

Relapse; crack users; scale; validation

	Factor 1	Factor 2	Factor 3	Factor 4	Factor 5	Factor 6
Crack Use Relapse Scale	Emotions, family and affect	Coping	Health, sex and treatment	Legal and social aspects	Positive expectations	Craving
Total Cronbach's alpha = 0.86	α = 0.84	α = 0.71	α = 0.59	α = 0.81	α = 0.77	α = 0.80
Eigenvalues (> 1)	5.94	2.89	2.32	1.90	1.33	1.16
1 - Family conflicts	0.581	0.087	0.187	0.228	0.103	-.0124
2 - Intimate relationship conflicts (e.g., with partner)	0.579	0.023	0.225	0.245	0.080	-0.384
3 - Feelings of sadness	0.840	-0.026	0.016	0.068	0.008	-0.029
4 - Feelings of loneliness	0.797	0.032	0.032	-0.003	0.003	0.123
5 - Feelings of anxiety	0.728	-0.002	0.023	0.103	0.142	0.208
6 - No hope^* * Items modified in response to exploratory factor analysis.	0.679	0.232	0.017	-0.054	0.159	0.187
7 - Dissatisfaction^* * Items modified in response to exploratory factor analysis.	0.646	0.278	0.058	-0.030	0.192	0.162
8 - Feelings of pleasure	0.116	0.064	0.081	0.006	0.837	0.097
9 - Feelings of euphoria	0.162	0.093	0.068	0.058	0.870	0.059
10 - Excessive self-confidence	0.102	0.114	0.003	0.044	0.586	0.128
11 - Craving for crack	0.243	0.059	-0.032	0.184	0.229	0.686
12 - Craving for crack after the use of another drug	0.080	0.061	0.193	0.054	0.137	0.765
13 - Exchange of sex for crack when the craving strikes	0.076	0.094	0.741	0.004	0.058	0.249
14 - HIV infection	0.015	-0.049	0.881	0.082	0.046	0.008
15 - Infection with sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV	0.009	0.065	0.897	0.120	0.004	-0.006
16 - Difficulty accessing treatment in the public health service	0.119	0.157	0.577	0.277	0.053	-0.097
17 - Imprisonment due to crack use	0.029	0.104	0.389	0.650	0.116	0.095
18 - Theft and robbery due to crack use	0.021	0.154	0.073	0.787	0.046	0.107
19 - Involvement with drug trade	0.065	0.151	0.095	0.805	0.013	-0.029
20 - Unemployment	0.157	0.379	0.091	0.533	0.033	0.047
21 - Favorable social environment for the consumption of crack	0.253	0.480	-0.051	0.449	-0.125	0.097
22 - Inability to cope with situations posing a high risk of crack use	0.159	0.704	0.009	0.277	0.044	0.125
23 - Lack of perspectives for a new lifestyle	0.107	0.801	-0.27	0.119	0.088	0.095
24 - Lack of healthy habits, e.g., involvement with sports	0.010	0.801	0.137	0.061	0.088	-0.077
25 - Lack of spirituality^* * Items modified in response to exploratory factor analysis.	0.021	0.692	0.142	0.160	0.165	-0.015

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[1] Correspondence: Rosemeri Pedroso, Centro de Pesquisa em Álcool e Drogas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Prof. Álvaro Alvim, 400, Bairro Rio Branco, CEP 90420-020, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. E-mail: rosemeripedroso@yahoo.com.br