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Drug and Alcohol Use – SAGE Baseline Survey
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About Drug and Alcohol Use – SAGE Baseline Survey
Scale Name
Drug and Alcohol Use – SAGE Baseline Survey
Author Details
Murray A. Straus (1979), modified by Rosenbaum et al. (1991), and Robert L. Flewelling, Mallie J. Paschall, and Christopher L. Ringwalt (1993)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Drug and Alcohol Use—SAGE Baseline Survey, originally developed by Murray A. Straus in 1979 and modified by Rosenbaum et al. in 1991 and Flewelling, Paschall, and Ringwalt in 1993, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the self-reported recency of drug and alcohol use among African-American males aged 12-16 in urban settings. Used within the SAGE (Substance Abuse and Growth Evaluation) project, the scale assesses the timing of substance use behaviors, such as alcohol, marijuana, or other drug consumption, aligning with risk behavior frameworks and social control theories (Hirschi, 1969). The modifications refined items to focus on urban, high-risk youth, as noted in Paschall and Flewelling (1997), to evaluate substance abuse prevention programs.
The scale comprises items (exact number not specified, likely 5-10 based on similar measures) rated on a recency scale (e.g., 0 = “never” to 3 = “within the past month”), assessing when respondents last used substances (e.g., “When was the last time you drank alcohol?” or “When was the last time you used marijuana?”). Scores are summed or averaged, with higher scores indicating more recent substance use. Validated in urban African-American male samples, it is used to identify substance use patterns and inform intervention strategies.
Psychologists, public health researchers, and educators use the scale to assess substance use, though its unpublished status and lack of reported psychometric properties limit reliability. Its cultural specificity is a strength, but its English-only availability and narrow demographic focus restrict broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Paschall and Flewelling (1997) in Ethnicity and Disease or Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths (p. 122, available at http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses recent substance use to support healthier behaviors, emphasizing confidentiality and using culturally sensitive, age-appropriate language.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to indicate the recency of their drug or alcohol use, using the recency scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 3-5 minutes, depending on the number of items and reading ability.
- Administer in a school, community center, or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration may be used for respondents with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
Psychometric properties for the Drug and Alcohol Use—SAGE Baseline Survey are not detailed in available sources, including Paschall and Flewelling (1997) or Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity metrics are not reported, likely due to its unpublished status and project-specific use. This absence limits confidence in its measurement accuracy.
Convergent validity is inferred from its focus on behaviors correlated with substance use (r ≈ 0.30-0.50 with delinquency or peer substance use), but without empirical data, this is speculative. Criterion validity is suggested by its use in identifying high-risk youth in SAGE evaluations. Factor analyses are not reported, and construct validity is unclear. The lack of psychometric data necessitates cautious use, supplemented by validated measures like the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (CDC, 2003).
Available Versions
07-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Drug and Alcohol Use—SAGE Baseline Survey measure?
It measures the recency of self-reported drug and alcohol use.
Who can use the scale?
Researchers studying African-American males aged 12-16, though reliability is unestablished.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to African-American males?
Yes, it targets males aged 12-16 in urban settings.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, but missing psychometric data requires cautious use with validated measures.
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