The reliability and consistency of self-reports on substance use in a longitudinal study
Barnea, Z.; Rahav, G.; Teichman, M.
British Journal of Addiction 82(8): 891-898
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0952-0481 PMID: 3479170 Document Number: 295982
The paper presents an evaluation of the stability and consistency of self-reported adolescent drug use. The data were collected from 1900 high-school students. Analyses included estimates of alternate forms reliability, nonresponse rates, logical consistency in the responses, test-retest reliability as well as estimates of exaggerated reports. The findings indicate a high rate of stability in self-reporting of substance use, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. These results are in agreement with other studies of self-reported drug use and suggest that questionnaire may provide highly reliable data for research.