Purpose

The primary aim of the Decisional Balance Scale for Smoking – Short Form [DBSSF-20] is to assess both the advantages and disadvantages that smoking presents to individuals, in order to help predict whether they are likely to continue or quit the behavior in the future. To make the tool more user-friendly and less time-consuming than the original questionnaire, a shorter version was developed.

Key Features

The Decisional Balance Scale for Smoking – Short Form [DBSSF-20] is used to evaluate the extent to which individuals “weigh” the perceived benefits and drawbacks of smoking. It focuses on either the positive or negative aspects to support the decision-making process involved in quitting smoking permanently.

Statistical Analysis and Scoring

The short version includes 6 items—3 addressing perceived benefits and 3 addressing perceived drawbacks. Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 indicates that smoking has no significance, and 5 indicates that it has a very high significance. The total score is derived by summing the responses for the perceived benefits and the perceived drawbacks. The difference between the two scores reveals the individual’s orientation and the strength of their attitude toward smoking. Higher scores suggest a stronger inclination toward the perceived benefits of smoking.

Validity and Reliability

Regarding internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha was found to be:
α = 0.70 for the “pros” (positive aspects),
α = 0.58 for the “cons” (negative aspects),
with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of α = 0.54 for the scale.

References

Bakan, A. B., & Erci, B. (2018). Comparison of the effect of trainings based on the transtheoretical model and the health belief model on nurses’ smoking cessation. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(1), 213–224.
Hazen, D. A., Mannino, D. M., & Clayton, R. (2008). Gender-specific differences in the pros and cons of smoking among current smokers in Eastern Kentucky: Implications for future smoking cessation interventions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 5(4), 230–242.
Kagabo, R., Gordon, A. J., & Okuyemi, K. (2020). Smoking cessation in inpatient psychiatry treatment facilities: A review. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 11, 100255.
Velicer, W. F., DiClemente, C. C., Prochaska, J. O., & Brandenburg, N. (1985). Decisional balance measure for assessing and predicting smoking status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(5), 1279.