Assessing readiness to change substance abuse: A critical review of instruments

This literature review summarizes the psychometric properties of 12 measure s used to assess readiness to change substance abuse. Assessment methods va ry, and include algorithms, self-administered questionnaires, and clinical ratings. We describe each and summarize reliability and validity informatio n. Some measures have poor psychometric properties, whereas limited psychom etric data are available for others. No single measure emerges as best for use in clinical settings, and promising candidates differ regarding target population and assessment method. Although the Transtheoretical Model inspi red much of the empirical work on readiness to change, the psychometric lit erature provides inconsistent support for the stages of change. Readiness t o change may best be conceptualized as a multidimensional and continuous co nstruct with complex relationships to behavior, cognition, and environmenta l context.