Validation and utility study of the 10 item brief adult health capital scale (BACHS-10).

Current methods for assessing health capital are not accessible to clinicians. To increase accessibility, we evaluated a Brief Adult Health Capital Scale (BAHCS-10) using classical and modern testing theories. With 588 clients, we found an adequate fit for the BAHCS-10χscaled2(35)=97.19,p<.01, CFIscaled = 0.949, TLIscaled = 0.935, RMSEA = 0.077, and the SRMR = 0.060. We also found evidence of invariance across race but did find significant non-invariance across some items for gender and age. Future researchers should review items displaying noninvariance and develop optimal cut scores for the BAHCS-10 to further support clinician decision making.

Demographic Predictors of Dropping Out of Treatment (DOT) in Substance Use Disorder Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have not studied or used novel methods for identifying potential disparities for sexual minorities, those with criminal pasts, and veterans in (DOT). METHODS: We used Bayesian logistic regression to identify factors associated with DOT, tested interaction effects, and used machine learning to classify qualitative responses. FINDINGS: With 2,772 clients from two inpatient clinics in the Southwest United States, we found sexual minorities and females had 52% and 61%, increases and African Americans had 54% decreases in the odds of DOT. Additionally, those with a criminal past and 34.5 and older were less likely to DOT by 5% relative to clients with no prior involvement in the criminal justice system. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated the disparities for women and sexual minorities in DOT as well as demonstrated novel methodological approaches to addressing previously unanswered questions.

Association between perceived risk of harm and self-reported binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and marijuana smoking in young adults.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the association between perceived risk of harm and self-reported binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and marijuana smoking among college students. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 599 students (ages 19-28) at a large Midwestern university recruited from October 2015 to December 2017. METHODS: Hurdle regression was used to test the relationship between perceived risk of harm from substance use (i.e., binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and marijuana smoking), and self-reported use. Demographic characteristics were tested as moderators of this relationship. RESULTS: Engagement in all three substance use behaviors was less likely when perceived risk was high. Age moderated the association between perceived risk and self-reported marijuana smoking with younger participants demonstrating a stronger relationship between perceived risk of smoking marijuana and self-reported marijuana smoking. CONCLUSION: Intervention programs will be most effective when perceived risk of substance use is high. Therefore, intervention programs should aim to increase college students' perceived risk of substance use.

Invariance of a recovery capital scale across gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in a substance use disorder treatment program.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral health care providers aim to see their clients achieve lifelong recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). To do so, they must accurately assess incoming resources and barriers to recovery to identify areas of need for their clients. A recovery capital scale (RCS) is one way to identify these resources and barriers. However, there is limited evidence that RCSs are invariant across different demographics. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether a short 10-item RCS (SRCS-10) is invariant across gender (male versus female), ethnicity (white versus African American, Hispanic, and other racial identities) and sexual orientation (heterosexual versus non-heterosexual). METHODS: The SRCS-10 is a shortened version of White's original unpublished 35-item RCS scale that was matched on items similar to the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC-10). We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm unidimensionality and then conducted measurement invariance tests. RESULTS: This study included 2751 females (67%) and 1341 males (33%) totaling 4092 clients from six large residential treatment centers. Using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA the SRCS-10 has a large first to second eigenvalue ratio and had a CFI and TLI close to and above .9 with an SRMR of below .05 and an omega of .85. Additionally, we saw limited changes in key indicators such as the CFI and RMSEA across gender, race, and sexual orientation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence that the SRCS-10 is a valid and reliable assessment across gender, race, and sexual orientation.