Page 126 - PhD GT

Table 5.4 Correlations and comparisons between the means for time 1 and time 2 responses to the three parts of the adapted Impaired Control Scale: Sample 5 (n=61)
Variables
ICSACT1 ICSACT2
ICSFCT1 ICSFCT2
ICSPCT1 ICSPCT2
Number of Correlation 2-tail
pairs significance
56 .67 .001
44 .47 .001 50 .51 .001
Means 2-tail significance
12.3 ns 12.6
23 ns 20.6
20.1 ns 18
Notable in the above table is the fact that of the 61 respondents who were given a battery of three scales which were being examined for the purpose of this study, 56 completed the first part of the adapted Impaired Control Scale, 50 completed the third part and only 44 completed the second part, which refers to their ability to control their use of heroin over the past three months. The most commonly given reason for non-completion of the second part was that the items were thought to be irrelevant if they had been abstinent from heroin for this duration of time. It is likely that this sample differed from the sample of new attenders in the main study in that it contained a larger proportion of people who were abstinent from their primary drug of misuse, in this case heroin, given that they were at various stages in the treatment process. However, in this small study, no data on substance use were collected so it is not possible to investigate this suggestion.
5.8 Discussion
It became apparent during the pilot phase that the items about limiting use, for instance the first item in Parts 1, 2 and 3 ‘During the past three months, I found it difficult to limit the amount I used’ and ‘I would find it difficult to limit the amount I used’ might elicit a different pattern of responses in the heroin group. Equally there was concern that items referring to slowing down and cutting down might not be meaningful to the heroin users group. Whereas dependent alcohol use may sometimes be characterised by drinking in a seemingly limitless fashion, the dependent pattern of heroin use may be somewhat different. People tend to place an absolute limit on the amount they use within a session due to a number of factors, notably the overdose potential of heroin, the fact
120