Title: Denied Substance Use in Forensic Evaluations: Development of The PAI Substance Abuse Minimization (SAM) Scale

Investigator: Minqi “Will” Pan, M.A., M.S.,

University: University of North Texas, Department of Psychology

Abstract: Substance use is one of the most prevailing issues within the US criminal justice system. However, most prevailing SU measures failed to address response distortions such as denial/minimization. The current study aims at developing the Substance Abuse Minimization (SAM) scale within the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to detect response distortions specific to substance use. A mixed within-and-between subject simulation design will be utilized together with an innovative Q-methodology. Probationers with substance abuse offenses and an archival outpatient clinical sample will be included in the current study. Importantly, the susceptibility of subtle testing items to response distortion will be investigated.