Measuring readiness to change for problematic consumption of prescription drugs: Development of an adapted and shortened Readiness to Change Questionnaire

Background: Up to now, no sufficient evidence is available about the stages of change for abstaining from prescription drugs (PD). The aim of this study was to report on the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire adapted for PD (RCQ-PD) and to find a valid and reliable shortened version. Method: A sample of 126 general hospital patients with long-term use of PD (more than 60 days within the last 3 months) or diagnosed with misuse of or dependence on PD was used for the analyses. Factor structure was investigated using exploratory factor analysis. As an aspect of construct validity, the consensus between stages of change and one single-item measure of readiness to change was tested. Results: Factor analysis resulted in a two-factor solution with one bidimensional Precontemplation/ Contemplation factor and one unidimensional Action factor. Internal consistency of the RCQ-PD-6 scales ranged between r 0.73 and 0.89. Precontemplators scored significantly lower on a continuous measure (Readiness Ruler) than participants in Contemplation or Action. Conclusion: Results might be taken as a first indicator of construct validity of the RCQ-PD-6, which provides a reliable measure of the stages of change in patients with PD-related problems.