In an effort to refine this new measure, termed the Perceived Stigma of Addiction Scale (PSAS), we administered the scale along with other self-report instruments to a sample of individuals in treatment for substance abuse. This paper describes the resulting psychometric analyses of the scale, including examination of the scales content, convergent and divergent validity, and measures of reliability. Convergent validity of the PSAS would be shown through moderate correlations with other stigma-related measures such as internalized stigma, internalized shame, stigma-related rejection, and a tendency toward self-concealment of one’s problems. Discriminant validity would be demonstrated through low or no relationship to measures less related to stigma such as depression, self-esteem, and social support.
