Abstract

This study aimed to develop and validate a psychometric scale to identify university students who may be at risk for drug use, taking into account their developmental and contextual characteristics. Based on the SPDA, which was previously validated for Korean adolescents, we revised the scale by removing 15 items and adding one relevant item. The final version included 25 items across six factors: personal characteristics, problem behaviors during adolescence, parental issues, relationships with parents, attitudes toward drug use, and drug use environment. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (n=406) and a confirmatory factor analysis (n=401), which supported the theoretical structure and demonstrated good model fit. We also evaluated internal consistency, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity. A cutoff score for identifying potential risk groups was determined based on T-scores. This scale provides a valid tool for the early detection of at-risk students and serves as a foundation for developing evidence-based prevention strategies in university settings.