Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 11 May 2011
Tom, Hildebrandt , James W., Langenbucher , Justine Karmin, Lai , Katharine L., Loeb , Eric, Hollander
Appearance-and-performance enhancing drug (APED) use is a form of drug use that includes use of a wide range of substances such as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) and associated behaviors including intense exercise and dietary control. To date, there are no reliable or valid measures of the core features of APED use. The present study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drug Use Schedule (APEDUS) which is a semi-structured interview designed to assess the spectrum of drug use and related features of APED use. Eighty-five current APED using men and women (having used an illicit APED…
Research highlights: ► The Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drug Use Schedule (APEDUS) is the first standardized assessment of the drug use patterns, impairment, and associated psychological features. ► The APEDUS has strong evidence for inter-rater and test-retest reliability. ► The APEDUS subscales have strong convergent and construct validity and are sensitive and specific to the measure of anabolic steroid dependence. ► APED users are accurate self-reporters of the APEDs they use.