title: Test-Retest Reliability and descriptive analyses of the Modified Important People and Activities (MIPA) Interview.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Important People and Activities (IPA) instrument assesses network characteristics and social support for drinking and abstinence. The IPA has garnered widespread use in the alcohol treatment field. We modified the IPA to assess HIV status, drug of choice, and IV drug use among social network members. Further, we queried frequency of unprotected sex, between the participant and network members.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Since this measure was modified, and the test-retest reliability of the IPA has only rarely been examined, we conducted a small substudy (n=26) to examine 1-week test-retest reliability of this measure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were individuals in a day treatment program with an SUD and/or AUD diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Drug of choice for the participants represented roughly equal thirds of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. The sample was 62% female and 39% Latino/a. At pretest 198 persons were named on the MIPA (M=7.6 network members per subject). It was determined that 152 of the people were overlapping between the test and retest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percent agreement, ICCs, and kappas for the items ranged from acceptable to excellent across the two time periods. Classification of network members as positive, negative, or neutral influences on sobriety also demonstrated good to excellent kappas.
authors.affiliation: Decision Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Pawtucket, RI, USA; Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zywiak
authors.affiliation: Decision Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Pawtucket, RI, USA; Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.affiliation: Decision Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Pawtucket, RI, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Jordan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Braciszewski
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Tyler B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Wray
authors.affiliation: Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longabaugh
keywords: i.v. drug use; psychoactive substances; reliability; social networks; unprotected sex