Psychometric properties of the Malay version of motivation scales in drug treatment

@#Introduction: In recognition of the role of motivation in drug use treatment, patient motivational screening instruments are needed for strategic planning and treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Malay version of the Treatment Motivation Scale, and to compare the motivational levels of patients receiving substance abuse treatment with different modalities (inpatient vs. outpatient). The motivational scale consists of three scales: problem recognition, desire for help and treatment readiness. Method: A convenience sample of 102 patients was recruited from four Cure and Care Service Centres in Malaysia. Results: Principal component analysis with varimax rotation supported two-factor solutions for each subscale: problem recognition, desire for help and treatment readiness, which accounted for 63.5%, 62.7% and 49.1% of the variances, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were acceptable for the overall measures (24 items: α = 0.89), the problem recognition scale (10 items; α = 0.89), desire for help (6 items; α = 0.64) and treatment readiness scale (8 items; α = 0.60). The results also indicated significant motivational differences for different modalities, with inpatients having significantly higher motivational scores in each scale compared to outpatients. Conclusion: The present study pointed towards the favourable psychometric properties of a motivation for treatment scale, which can be a useful instrument for clinical applications of drug use changes and treatment.

Eating Style And The Nature Of Food Consumption: Mapping Individuals’ Health Risks

@#Research examining whether psychological eating style is related to healthy or unhealthy eating patterns is required to explain the mechanisms underlying non-communicable diseases and obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether eating style predicts thenature of food consumption. This was a cross-sectional study of 588 adults (males = 231 and females = 357). Eating style (i.e. restrained, emotional, external eating) was measured using the short version of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ). The nature of food consumption was assessed using self-reports of consumption of fruits and vegetables, sweet foods, junk food, and snacks.The results revealed that restrained eating was higher in females and overweight participants. External eating,a higher frequency of snacking,and a higher frequency of junk food consumptionwere more prevalent among the younger participants. Consistent with previous Western studies, emotional eating was found to be the main predictor of consumption of less healthful foods (sweet foods, junk food, and snacks), whereas external eatingpredicted the intake of sweet foods. The intake of fruits and vegetableswas associated with restrained eating. In light of the significant associations between eating style and the nature of food consumption, acknowledging individuals’ eating styleshas implications for tailoring effective nutritional programs that address obesity and the chronic disease epidemic.