SOCRATES

Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale

SOCRATES is an experimental instrument designed to assess readiness for change in individuals with substance use disorders. The instrument yields three factorially-derived scale scores: Recognition (Re), Ambivalence (Am), and Taking Steps (Ts).

SOCRATES

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Uncertain	Agree	Strongly Agree
1. I really want to make changes in my use of substances.
2. Sometimes I wonder if I am an addict or alcoholic.
3. If I don’t change my drug/alcohol use soon, my problems are going to get worse.
4. I have already started making some changes in my use of drugs or alcohol.
5. I was using drugs or alcohol too much at one time, but I’ve managed to change that.
6. My substance use is causing problems with the law.
7. I have a problem with substances.
8. I’m not just thinking about changing my drug or alcohol use, I’m already doing something about it.
9. I have already changed my drug or alcohol use, and I am looking for ways to keep from slipping back to my old pattern.
10. I have serious problems with drugs and/or alcohol.
11. Sometimes I wonder if I am in control of my drug or alcohol use.
12. My drug or alcohol use is causing a lot of harm.
13. I am actively doing things now to cut down or stop my use of substances.
14. I want help to keep from going back to the drug or alcohol problems that I had before.
15. I know that I have a drug or alcohol problem.
16. There are times when I wonder if I use drugs or alcohol too much.
17. I am an addict or alcoholic.
18. I am working hard to change my substance use.
19. I have made some changes in my substance use, and I want some help to keep from going back to the way I used before.

Recognition
Ambivalence
Taking Steps

Decile Scores	Recognition	Ambivalence	Taking Steps
90 Very High		19–20	39–40
80		18	37–38
70 High	35	17	36
60	34	16	34–35
50 Medium	32–33	15	33
40	31	14	31–32
30 Low	29–30	12–13	30
20	27–28	9–11	26–29
10 Very Low	7–26	4–8	8–25

RECOGNITION

HIGH scorers directly acknowledge that they are having problems related to their substance use tending to express a desire for change and to perceive that harm will continue if they do not change.

LOW scorers deny that substances are causing them serious problems, reject diagnostic labels such as “problem drinker”, "addict", “alcoholic,” and do not express a desire for change.

AMBIVALENCE

HIGH scorers say that they sometimes are using too much, are hurting other people, and/or are alcoholic/addicts. Thus a high score reflects ambivalence or uncertainty. A high score here reflects some openness to reflection, as might be particularly expected in the contemplation stage of change.

LOW scorers say that they do not wonder if they are drinking or using too much or are hurting others, or are alcoholics/addicts. Note that a person may score low on ambvialence because they “know” their substance use is causing problems (high Recognition), or “know” that they do not have substance use problems (low Recognition). Thus a low Ambivalence score should be interpreted in relation to the Recognition score.

TAKING STEPS

HIGH scorers report that they are already doing things to make a positive change in their substance use, and may have experienced some success in this regard. Change is under way, and they may want help to persist or to prevent backsliding. A high score on this scale has been found to be predictive of successful change.

LOW scorers report that they are not currently doing things to change their substance use, and have not made such changes recently.
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Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale