for adolescents. In the final version of the BSSS, each of the four primary dimensions of sensation seeking
is represented by two items. Responses are indicated on five-point scales labeled, ‘ strongly disagree ’, ‘disagree ’,
‘neither disagree nor agree ’, ‘agree ’, and ‘ strongly agree ’. For research purposes, the scale was titled ‘Interest and
Preference Survey’.
Sample
Students at a middle school and a high school were invited to participate in a survey of interests and prefer-
ences. From among 1692 students on the roll, a total of 1302 students (77%) completed the survey in the first
study. In the second study participants were 6368 adolescents in grades seven through 12 recruited by telephone
from class rolls in two metropolitan areas in the south-eastern United States ( Hoyle et al., 2002 ).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged from 0.74 to 0.79 for various ethnic groups. Coefficient alpha for four of
the six groups ranged from 0.74 and 0.79. The alpha coefficient for African /C0American males was 0.68 ( Hoyle
et al., 2002 ).
Test/C0Retest
Test/C0retest reliability in a sample of children (aged 7 /C012 years) was found to be 0.71 ( Jensen, Weaver, Ivic, &
Imboden, 2011 ).
Convergent/Concurrent
Using the full sample, BSSS scores correlated with risk factors as follows: Deviance (0.34), Perceived peer use
of marijuana (0.40), Perceived family use of marijuana (0.22), and Perceived community use of marijuana (0.23).
Divergent/Discriminant
Correlations with protective factors were: Absence of depression 20.20, Self-acceptance 20.18, Quality of
home life ( 20.29), Law abidance ( 20.41), Religiosity ( 20.24), and Perceived sanctions against marijuana use
(20.39).
Construct/Factor Analytic
Using a confirmatory factor analysis, a single-factor model was specified. Estimation of the single-factor model
produced promising values for the indexes of fit. All loadings were statistically significant, ranging from 0.32 for
item 2, to 0.62 for items 6 and 8 ( Hoyle et al., 2002 ).
Criterion/Predictive
BSSS scores correlated as expected with an array of drug-related outcomes as well as risk and protective
factors for problem behaviors. For example, the BSSS predicted tobacco, alcohol and drug use and attitudes
toward these substances in all ethnic groups ( Hoyle et al., 2002 ). Correlations between BSSS scores and responses
to drug-related ı ´tems in the full sample were: tobacco (0.36), alcohol (0.36) marijuana (0.35), inhalants (0.22),
hallucinogens (0.29) and cocaine/crack (0.17).
Location
Hoyle, R.H., Stephenson, M.T., Palmgreen, P., Lorch, E.P., & Donohew, R.L. (2002) Reliability and validity of a
brief measure of sensation seeking. Personality and Individual Differences, 32 , 401/C0414.
Results and Comments
The authors asserted that the BSSS is a viable measure of sensation seeking for adolescents and young adults.
Internal consistency of the scale is sufficient to conclude that items are good indicators of the sensation seeking
construct. Wisely, the authors did not attempt to construct subscales for the four factors based on only two items
for each. The total 8 item scale is sufficiently reliable to show the effects of media anti-drug messages in large
populations of adolescents (e.g., Palmgreen, Donohew, Lorch, Hoyle, & Stephenson, 2001 ).376 13. MEASURES OF SENSATION SEEKING
III. EMOTION REGULATION