Background

Gender bias in measures of cannabis problems may differentially affect how men and women endorse items. This gender invariance might mask, exaggerate, or otherwise obscure true distinctions in experiences of cannabis consequences.

Methods

The Cannabis-Associated Problems Questionnaire (CAPQ), a measure of interpersonal deficits, occupational impairment, psychological issues, and physical side effects related to cannabis use, contained items with gender-based differential item functioning (DIF) in previous work—a finding we aim to replicate and extend (Lavender, Looby, & Earleywine, 2008).

Results

In a sample of 4053 cannabis users, gender differences were apparent in global scores on the CAPQ. A DIF analysis revealed two gender-biased items, including one identified previously. Removal of these items did not significantly alter the scale’s relation to cannabis use. Gender differences on the CAPQ persisted after removal of the two problematic items, indicating true gender differences still exist in men and women’s experiences of cannabis-related consequences. Gender appeared to significantly contribute to scores on the full CAPQ and the short-form of the CAPQ with biased item removed, even after controlling for indices of cannabis use.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the CAPQ evidences less gender bias than previously thought, perhaps due to diminishing gender-based stereotypes. Future work might opt to use the short form of the CAPQ to minimize gender-based DIF. In addition, potential biases in measures of substance use problems deserve more attention.

中文翻译：

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大麻相关问题问卷中基于性别的差异项目的功能：复制和扩展

 背景

大麻问题衡量标准中的性别偏见可能会不同程度地影响男性和女性对物品的认可。这种性别不变性可能会掩盖、夸大或以其他方式掩盖大麻后果体验中的真正区别。

 方法

大麻相关问题问卷（CAPQ）是衡量与大麻使用相关的人际缺陷、职业障碍、心理问题和身体副作用的指标，包含在之前的工作中具有基于性别的差异项目功能（DIF）的项目——这一发现我们旨在复制和扩展（Lavender、Looby 和 Earleywine，2008）。

 结果

在 4053 名大麻使用者的样本中，CAPQ 的全球得分存在明显的性别差异。 DIF 分析揭示了两项存在性别偏见的项目，其中包括之前确定的一项。删除这些项目并没有显着改变量表与大麻使用的关系。在删除这两个有问题的项目后，CAPQ 上的性别差异仍然存在，表明男性和女性在大麻相关后果的经历中仍然存在真正的性别差异。即使在控制了大麻使用指数之后，性别似乎对完整 CAPQ 和删除有偏见项目的简式 CAPQ 的得分有显着影响。

 结论

这些发现表明，CAPQ 的性别偏见比之前想象的要少，这可能是由于基于性别的刻板印象的减少。未来的工作可能会选择使用 CAPQ 的缩写形式来最大限度地减少基于性别的 DIF。此外，物质使用问题衡量标准中潜在的偏差值得更多关注。