Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the self-control scale among substance abusers in Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Substance abuse affects millions in Indonesia. Self-control is crucial for regulating drug use, but the Western-developed Self-Control Scale (SCS) may not capture culturally specific behaviors, such as collectivist and family-oriented values. Cross-cultural adaptation is needed to ensure its relevance and validity for Indonesian substance abusers. Objective: This study aimed to adapt the SCS culturally and evaluate its psychometric properties for use among substance abusers in Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 400 Indonesian rehabilitation facility patients. The SCS was converted following Beaton's cross-cultural adaptation criteria to ensure semantic, idiomatic, and cultural comparability. Tests included content validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), convergent validity, and dependability. Data analysis used SPSS 26. Results: The Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) varied from 0.81 to 0.97, but the Scale-Content Validity Index (S-CVI) was 0.89. EFA determined that impulse control, distraction avoidance, good decision-making, and emotional regulation accounted for 67% of the variance. The Average Variance Extracted (AVE) ranging from 0.58 to 0.66 indicated convergence. Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.78 to 0.88 validated dependability. Conclusion: The Indonesian version of the SCS, with its strong psychometric properties, is a culturally adapted tool that can aid in tailoring interventions and advancing addiction research.