Assessing stages of change in DUI offenders: A comparison of two measures

The current study considered motivation and self-efficacy to change in a sample of 458 convicted DUI offenders who were court mandated to complete a clinical evaluation to determine if further treatment was necessary. The sample was from a Northeastern metropolitan area of the United States. The URICA and SOCRATES measures of stage of change and the abstinence self-efficacy scale were evaluated. A factor analysis showed two independent factors for self-efficacy and three meaningful factors for the motivation to change items. There was only modest agreement between the stage assignments from the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) and Stage of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). Regression results for concurrent drinking-driving indicated that none of the motivation to change measures were significantly associated with drinking-driving, while self-efficacy showed a significant negative association. For binge drinking, the ambivalence and recognition subscales of the SOCRATES both showed significant associations, as did self-efficacy. Results suggest caution when interpreting stage of change measures for DUI offenders.