Factor Structure of the Chinese Version of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment in Taiwanese Adolescents Who Abuse MDMA or Methamphetamine

Abstract

Objective: The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) is a widely used tool for measuring subjects’ readiness to change substance-using behaviors. The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Chinese version of the URICA (C-URICA) in Taiwanese adolescents who have used methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or methamphetamine (MAMP). Methods: Pre-test and post-test data from the C-URICA from 92 adolescents in a juvenile abstinence center who had used MDMA or MAMP were analyzed. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the adequacy of the factor structure of the C-URICA. Results: CFA indicated that a three-factor structure (pre-contemplation, contemplation + action, maintenance) had a better goodness of fit than four-factor (pre-contemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance), and one-factor structures. Conclusions: The results indicated that the URICA may have different factor structures when used in the population different from the original adult population with alcohol drinking.