The 12 Step Affiliation and Practices Scale: development and initial validation of a measure assessing 12 step affiliation.

Objective: Research on instruments designed to measure endorsement of 12 step beliefs and practices among individuals with substance use disorders is virtually nonexistent. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a novel instrument called the 12 Step Affiliation and Practices Scale (TSAPS) using a sample of young adults receiving 12 step-based residential treatment for alcohol and drug dependence.

Method: As part of a naturalistic treatment outcome study, 300 young adults receiving residential treatment completed the TSAPS and several other assessments during and after treatment. Analyses of the TSAPS examined its factor structure, internal consistency, sensitivity to change over time, and convergent and predictive validity.

Results: A maximum likelihood estimation factor analysis using oblique rotation produced 4 factors accounting for 61.16% of the variance. Internal consistency was very high and scores on the TSAPS significantly increased across the course of treatment. Convergent validity was demonstrated by relationships with scales of treatment attitudes, twelve step expectancies and commitment to sobriety. Predictive validity was also found, as evidenced by a relationship between total TSAPS score at 3 months post-treatment and percent of abstinent days at 6 months post-treatment.

Conclusions: The TSAPS shows promise as a psychometrically sound, internally reliable measure of 12 step affiliation and practices among individuals with substance dependence.