Development and Validation of the Recognizing Addictive Disorders Scale: A Transdiagnostic Measure of Substance-Related and Other Addictive Disorders

Objective: Substance use disorders and behavioral addictions commonly co-occur. However, few available self-report measures reliably and validly assess the full range of addictive conditions. The development and initial validation of a new measure—Recognizing Addictive Disorders (RADs) scale addresses a significant gap in the literature. Method: After items were generated and evaluated in Study 1, Study 2 (N = 300), applied exploratory factor analysis to the item pool using an online-based community sample. In Study 3 (N = 427), the factor structure was validated using an independent online-based community sample and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (a =.92) and construct validity, including replication of the factor structure (χ² (553) = 760.83, p <.001, CFI =.997, TLI =.997, RMSEA =.030) and correlation with a related transdiagnostic measure of addiction (r =.72). Discussion: Overall, results support the preliminary validity of a brief transdiagnostic measure of addiction that considers a diverse range of behaviors. For patients presenting to substance abuse treatment, this tool may be useful in identifying symptoms of other types of non-substance problems, which could ultimately aid in treatment planning.