Tanglewood Research Evaluation

Abstract

The Tanglewood Research Evaluation, specifically the Commitment to Not Use Drugs Scale, is an instrument developed to measure an individual’s self-reported intent and commitment to abstain from the use of various illicit and legal substances, including marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco. Developed by W.B. Hansen and R.B. McNeal in 1997, this scale is primarily utilized within the context of prevention program evaluation, most notably in assessments of the effectiveness of school-based drug prevention curricula such as the D.A.R.E. program. The scale assesses the strength of the respondent’s behavioral resolve and personal pledges regarding future substance use, serving as a key mediating variable in determining the success of preventive interventions.

Keywords

Substance abuse, drug prevention, D.A.R.E., commitment, behavioral intention, adolescents, health education, screening tool, alcohol, tobacco.

Authors

W.B. Hansen, R.B. McNeal

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Commitment to Not Use Drugs Scale is to quantitatively assess the degree to which an individual has internalized and committed to a non-use stance regarding specific substances. This scale serves as a critical process measure in health education and substance abuse prevention research. By measuring self-reported commitment, researchers can evaluate the immediate effects of interventions on participant attitudes and resolve, which are theorized precursors to long-term behavioral change. The instrument is designed to capture not just attitudes, but the concrete decisions and promises made by the respondent concerning future avoidance of drugs and alcohol.

Construct

The scale primarily measures the psychological construct of Behavioral Intention and Self-Efficacy for Refusal within the domain of substance abuse. Behavioral intention refers to the subjective probability that a person will engage in a specific behavior. High scores on the scale indicate a strong, explicit commitment (or intent) to maintain a drug-free lifestyle, reflecting successful internalization of prevention messages. The items probe personal decisions, promises, and the clarity of the commitment communicated to peers, suggesting a measure of social self-efficacy in upholding abstinence.

Validity

While specific psychometric validation statistics (such as confirmatory factor analysis results or correlation coefficients) are not provided in the source material, the scale’s use in influential studies, such as the evaluation of the D.A.R.E. program, implies established Construct Validity. It is theorized that a strong commitment to non-use (the construct measured) should mediate the relationship between participating in a prevention program and actual long-term behavioral outcomes (non-use of drugs). Therefore, evidence of the scale’s ability to predict future behavior or correlate positively with other measures of drug resistance would support its predictive and concurrent validity. The scale’s inclusion in the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Core Measures Initiative further suggests its recognized utility in the field.

Reliability

Specific internal consistency estimates (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) are not detailed in the available source data. However, for instruments used as core measures in large-scale intervention research, high levels of Internal Consistency Reliability are expected, meaning the eight items should cohesively measure the singular underlying construct of commitment to abstinence. Furthermore, the scale would require demonstrated Test-Retest Reliability to ensure that the measured commitment remains stable over short periods, reflecting a genuine, settled decision rather than a transient attitude.

Factor Analysis

Given the scale’s brevity (eight items) and its focus on a singular concept (commitment to non-use across different substance categories), it is highly probable that the scale is intended to be Unidimensional. Factor analysis, if performed, would likely confirm a single dominant factor representing the overall commitment to abstinence. Researchers may also analyze potential sub-factors representing commitment toward specific drug types (e.g., alcohol items vs. marijuana items), though the scale is generally treated as a composite measure of generalized drug refusal intention.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological screening instrument measuring behavioral intention.

Format: Eight items assessed using a 4-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (based on primary source documents).

Population Group: Youth and Adolescents.

Age Group: Typically utilized with middle school students (approximately 10–14 years old), corresponding to the primary target demographic for programs like D.A.R.E.

Population Details: Students participating in school-based drug prevention programs; non-clinical samples.

Test Methodology: Paper-and-pencil or online administration. The response format is a 4-point Likert scale: Strongly agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly disagree. Some items are reverse-scored (e.g., items 2, 3, and 4) to mitigate response bias.

Keywords

Abstinence, commitment to non-use, drug education, mediating variable, psychological scale, self-efficacy, adolescent health, screening, Tanglewood Research, prevention science.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not available in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Dr. Bill Hansen, Tanglewood Research Inc.)

Correspondence Address: Dr. Bill Hansen, Tanglewood Research Inc., 701 Albert Pick Road, Greensboro, NC 27409. Phone: 336-662-0090.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The instrument was developed and published in 1997 by W.B. Hansen and R.B. McNeal. This scale is often utilized in public health and academic research settings, particularly through Tanglewood Research Inc. For current usage and licensing details, researchers should contact Dr. Bill Hansen directly at the listed correspondence address or email. The scale is publicly accessible through government publications related to core measures in substance abuse prevention.

The original PDF containing this instrument can be downloaded here: http://vvv.dmhas.state.ct.us/sig/pdf/uconn/core_measures.pdf (This instrument can be found on pages 79-81 of Core Measures Initiative Phase I Recommendations, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention).

Reference’s

The scale is primarily introduced and validated within the following publication:

• Hansen, W.B., & McNeal, R.B. (1997). How D.A.R.E. works: An examination of program effects on mediating variables. Health Education & Behavior, 24(2): 165-176.
• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. (N.D.). Core Measures Initiative Phase I Recommendations. Retrieved from: http://vvv.dmhas.state.ct.us/sig/pdf/uconn/core_measures.pdf

Items of the Tanglewood Research Evaluation

Commitment to Not Use Drugs Scale:

1. I have made a final decision to stay away from marijuana.
2. I have decided that I will smoke cigarettes.
3. If I had the chance and knew I would not be caught‚ I would get drunk.
4. I plan to get drunk sometime in the next year.
5. I have made a promise to myself that I will not drink alcohol.
6. I have told at least one person that I do not intend to smoke.
7. It is clear to my friends that I am committed to living a drug-free life.
8. I have signed my name to a pledge saying that I will not use marijuana or drugs.?

Response Format: Strongly agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly disagree