The Addiction Belief Scale

Abstract
An eighteen-item Addiction Belief Scale (ABS) was developed to assess strength of belief in the disease versus free-will model of addiction (alpha = .91). Factor analysis of the ABS revealed three dimensions to the disease-model controversy of addiction. These include beliefs regarding personal power (subscale alpha = .91, n = 274), dichotomous thinking (subscale alpha = .83, n = 285), and addiction as a way of coping with life (subscale alpha = .47, n = 286). A discussion of scale analysis and suggestions for application of the ABS as a clinical and research instrument are presented.