Spanish versions and validation of a series of rating scales and visual analogue scales to assess the subjective effects of cannabis
About the study
This study focuses on the psychometric evaluation of scales measuring the subjective effects of cannabis in Spanish-speaking populations. The changing legal status of cannabis globally and the increasing regulation of its use for medical and recreational purposes necessitate understanding its neuropsychological impact, which includes a range of subjective psychological and behavioral effects.
The research aimed to test the psychometric properties of various scales such as the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire–modified version (CEQ-mv), Psychotomimetic States Inventory (PSI), and others within a population of cannabis users from Spain. The research involved 116 participants from Cannabis Social Clubs in Barcelona who, under the influence of their own cannabis, completed these questionnaires. The study’s methodology involved exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency testing, with the aim of ensuring reliable measures of cannabis’s subjective effects.
The results indicated a reduction of PSI from a 6-factor to a 4-factor model with adequate to low reliability, ARCI-18 from a 3-factor to a 2-factor model with good reliability, and VAS from a 4-factor to a 3-factor model, also with good reliability. These adjusted questionnaires demonstrated adequate reliability, suggesting they are suitable for future research on the subjective effects of cannabis in both clinical and naturalistic settings.
Abstract
Cannabis is being legalized for medical and recreational purposes all around the world. However, the understanding of the psychological effects of cannabis is still limited, and it has been previously linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Lately, new scales have been created and adapted to measure its psychological effects. The aim of this study is to create Spanish versions of some of these scales and test their psychometric characteristics. One hundred sixteen participants were recruited from Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) in Barcelona, Spain. Participants under the effects of their own cannabis completed the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire–modified version (CEQ-mv), Addiction Research Centre Inventory-18 (ARCI-18), Psychotomimetic States Inventory (PSI) and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Questionnaires were completed in the CSC, providing a naturalistic setting for the study. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency were analyzed. PSI was reduced from a 6-factor to a 4-factor model with adequate to low reliability, ARCI-18 was reduced from a 3-factor to a 2-factor model with good reliability, and VAS were reduced from a 4-factor to a 3-factor model, also with good reliability. These questionnaires showed adequate reliability and can be used in future studies to test the subjective effects of cannabis in clinical and naturalistic settings.
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