Evaluation of self-deception: Factorial structure, reliability and validity of the SDQ-12 (self-deception questionnaire).

We all need to resort to deception, either with ourselves (denial, self-deception, mystification) or with others (with modalities, such as impression management, social desirability), to a greater or lesser extent. Lies, in their broader meaning, are interpreted as something rather adaptive, useful, and necessary in our socioaffective world. In particular, self-deception is a highly interesting psychological concept in the clinical population, namely, in drug dependents, as it serves as a mechanism for maintaining addiction. The objective of this study was to create and explore the validity and psychometric properties of a short self-deception scale (SDQ-12), derived from the IAM-40 and emphasizing the manipulation and mystification dimensions. Participants in this study included a group of drug dependents (alcoholics and drug abusers) under treatment (n = 417) as well as a group of adults from the general population (n = 124) (total N = 541), selected using simple random sampling. Across the sample, 63% of individuals were male, with a mean age of 38.65 years (S.D. = 10.61). Empirical exploration of the SDQ-12 items using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the instrument has a clear structure matching the theoretically relevant proposed dimensions of mystification and manipulation. Internal consistency was verified (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = .85), and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the two-dimensional model provided an appropriate fit to the data. In addition, manipulation was greater in young male individuals, with significant differences found in mystification and manipulation between the general population and alcoholics and drug abusers. Our study supports the clinical and research importance of the SDQ-12 scale, due not only to its diagnostic efficacy but also to its novel nature, its importance, and its relevance. It could be particularly useful for evaluating the substantial components of self-deception in the addict population, thus guiding therapists in their diagnostic and interventional role.

Correlatos psicosociales del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en adolescentes españoles / Psychosocial correlations of the experimentation with psychoactive substances in Spanish teenagers

Objetivo. Analizar los factores que determinan el consumo juvenil de sustancias psicoactivas evaluando la capacidad predictiva de variables actitudinales, afectivas, relacionales a nivel familiar y grupal, así como académicas, entre otras. Material y métodos. Se ha seleccionado una muestra de 750 adolescentes del Principado de Asturias (España) (moda 15 años, media=14.69) escolarizados en el curso académico 2008-2009. Resultados. Se ha confirmado que los adolescentes que consumen alcohol y otras drogas presentan un perfil diferencial respecto a los no consumidores en factores relativos a la mayor permisividad actitudinal, efecto de modelado paterno y del grupo de iguales, insatisfacción institucional, inestabilidad emocional y manifestación de más conductas disruptivas con problemas de relación y búsquedas de atención. Conclusiones. A partir de nuestro modelo etiológico se concluye que el consumo juvenil de drogas está determinado por la interrelación de variables personales, familiares, escolares y psicosociales.

Objective. To offer an analysis of the factors that determine the consumption of psychoactive substances by youth and to evaluate the predictive capacity of variables related to attitude, affect, the family and groups, as well as academics, among others. Materials and Methods. A sample of 750 adolescents was selected at the Principado de Asturias (Spain) (mode 15 years of age, mean=14.69) enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic year. Results. It was confirmed that the teenagers who consumed alcohol and other drugs present a differential profile as compared to non-consumers with respect to greater attitudinal permissiveness, effect of paternal modelling and peer groups, institutional dissatisfaction, emotional instability, and manifestation of more disruptive conducts with problems relating to others and attention-seeking. Conclusions. From our ethiological model we conclude that the consumption of drugs by youth is determined by an interrelation of personal, familiar, school and psychosocial variables.