Validity and reliability of a Severity of Dependence Scale for khat (SDS-khat)

Aims of the study(1) To assess psychological khat dependence and (2) to assess the validity and reliability of the Severity Dependence Scale (Gossop et al., 1995) amended for khat use (SDS-khat), in a sample of UK-resident male adult Yemeni khat chewers.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study using a face to face structured interview schedule was conducted amongst purposively sampled UK-resident adult Yemeni male khat chewers, aged 18 years and above, selected during random visits to places of khat sale. A factor analysis with principal components extraction was conducted to explore the construct validity of the proposed SDS-khat. Reliability of the proposed scale was assessed using test–retest and internal reliability tests. The concurrent validity of the proposed SDS-khat was assessed in relation to individual measures and a composite index of khat chewing behaviours using univariate analyses.ResultsTwo hundred and four Yemeni male adult khat chewers were interviewed. The mean score of the proposed SDS-khat was 5.52 (SD ±4.03). Forty nine percent of respondents (95% CI = 43–55%) with ≤5 scores were more likely not psychologically dependent. A single factor, uni-dimensional solution identifying the five items making up the scale accounted for 52.33% of variance. The internal reliability was good (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.76) and the test retest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.93 (95% CI = 0.80–0.97). Many individual aspects of the khat chewing were significantly related to the scale. Assessment of the proposed SDS-khat's concurrent validity with individual items of khat chewing identified several significant relationships (p ≤ 0.05) whilst the composite index of khat behaviour also identified a significant relationship (OR = 14.40, 95% CI = 6.71–30.89). The proposed SDS-khat also correlated with self-reported reasons for khat chewing (p ≤ 0.001, OR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.80–6.96).ConclusionsIn this sample of Yemeni khat chewers the SDS-khat is recommended as a valid and reliable research tool for measuring psychological dependence upon khat. Further validation in other samples is indicated.