Janet Bashford

Doctor of Philosophy, (Psychology)
Study Completed: 2007
College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Citation

Thesis Title
The Cannabis Use Problems Identification test (CUPIT): Development and Psychometrics

Read article at Massey Research Online: MRO icon

Ms Bashford addressed the absence of an empirically-verified screener for reliable and opportunistic detection of currently and potentially harmful, cannabis use. Her research also provided valuable information on the nature, prevalence, severity, and natural history of cannabis-induced problems among a heterogeneous New Zealand sample of adolescent and adult users. Participants’ independent responses to the candidate Cannabis Use Problems Identification Test (CUPIT) items were examined. DSM-IV/ICD-10 cannabis use disorder diagnoses were employed as the criterion standard. Two primary CUPIT subscales emerged, demonstrating a highly significant ability to discriminate diagnostic subgroups along the problem severity continuum. Twelve months later, respondents’ original CUPIT scores displayed highly significant longitudinal predictive ability for diagnostic group membership. Accordingly, it is now feasible to develop a proactive opportunistic screening and early intervention approach to cannabis use problems, which are pervasive among users in the population.

Supervisors
Associate Professor Ross Flett
Dr J Copeland