title: Validity and consistency of self-reports regarding substance use in general research volunteers, including regular cannabis users and schizophrenia patients.
abstract: This study investigated the validity of self-reports of substance use in 69 low-level substance users from the general community of Perth, Australia, volunteering for electrophysiological research, between 2002 and 2003. The participants included regular cannabis users and schizophrenia patients. Self-reports of recent use (last 24 hours) highly agreed with urine screen results (kappa = 0.91). Self-reports of past use (lifetime and last 12 months) had poor-moderate consistency based on correlations among dependence (measured with SDS, FTND, SMAST, CAGE), frequency, and use duration. Therefore, under some conditions, self-reports are valid for recent use and only moderately consistent for past substance use in general research participants.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry, Graylands Hospital, Mt. Claremont, WA, Australia. kkedzior@graduate.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Karina K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kedzior
authors.forename: Johanna C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Badcock
authors.forename: Mathew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Martin-Iverson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking; D008875:Middle Aged; D012106:Research; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012650:Self Disclosure; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014904:Western Australia