Aims: To determine the reliability and validity of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) for detecting cannabis dependence in a large sample of in-patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Participants: Participants were 153 in-patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder in Brisbane, Australia.
Measurements: Participants were administered the SDS for cannabis dependence in the past 12 months. The presence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version-IV (DSM-IV) cannabis dependence in the previous 12 months was assessed using the Comprehensive International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).
Findings: The SDS had high levels of internal consistency and strong construct and concurrent validity. Individuals with a score of >or = 2 on the SDS were nearly 30 times more likely to have DSM-IV cannabis dependence. The SDS was the strongest predictor of DSM-IV cannabis dependence after controlling for other predictor variables.
Conclusions: The SDS is a brief, valid and reliable screen for cannabis dependence among people with psychosis.