Psychometric evaluation of the Marijuana Reduction Strategies Self-Efficacy Scale with young recreational marijuana users

•The MJ-RS-SES assessed self-efficacy to employ marijuana use-reduction strategies.•Reliability analyses supported retaining all 21 items as a single scale.•Correlations with other constructs supported criterion and discriminant validity.•The MJ-RS-SES may be used in both clinical and research settings.

IntroductionThis study evaluated the cue-reactivity and several psychometric properties of a questionnaire designed to assess marijuana users' self-efficacy to employ 21 specific cognitive-behavioral strategies to reduce their marijuana use.MethodUsing a web-based recruitment and data-collection procedure, 513 regular marijuana users completed dependent measures following marijuana-related or control cue exposure.ResultsAlthough exposure to marijuana-related stimuli significantly increased reported craving, mean reduction-strategy self-efficacy scores did not differ as a function of cue exposure. Reliability analyses supported retaining all 21 items as a single scale. Reduction-strategy self-efficacy was positively associated with marijuana-refusal self-efficacy and with recent past use of reduction strategies, was negatively associated with quantity and frequency of marijuana use and marijuana-related problems, and was positively but weakly associated with general self-efficacy. The most frequently reported strategies that were employed reflected restricting marijuana use to once per day, not keeping a large stash available, turning down unwanted hits, and not obtaining more marijuana right away if one's supply runs out.ConclusionsThese findings further support the reliability and validity of the questionnaire when administered to a diverse sample of regular marijuana users.