Wellman, Robert J.DiFranza, Joseph R.Morgenstern, M.Hanewinkel, R.Isensee, B.Sabiston, Catherine2022-08-232022-08-232012-02-012015-05-13Eur Addict Res. 2012;18(2):76-82. doi: 10.1159/000334410. Epub 2011 Dec 22. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000334410">Link to article on publisher's site</a>1022-6877 (Linking)10.1159/000334410https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/30922BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the psychometric properties of a German translation of the 12-item Autonomy over Tobacco Scale (AUTOS) among 1,195 eighth-grade students. METHODS: Data for this study were collected as part of the fourth wave of data collection of the Smokefree Class Competition intervention in the Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany. Students from the control arm of the Smokefree Class Competition study who indicated that they had ever smoked 'at least a few puffs' on a cigarette were classified as ever-smokers. They self-completed questionnaires distributed by teachers. RESULTS: AUTOS scores ranged from 0 to 36 with a distribution highly skewed toward lower-response categories. Inter-item correlations ranged from 0.65 to 0.89 (mean = 0.79, SD = 0.06). Composite reliability for the AUTOS was high (Omega = 0.96) and 3 lower-order factors were also reliable (withdrawal: 0.89, psychological dependence: 0.91, cue-induced cravings: 0.87). Concurrent validity was supported by strong relationships between the AUTOS and both lifetime cigarette consumption and current smoking frequency. Youths were 18 times more likely to be current smokers (95% CI = 11.9-27.2, p < 0.001) if they endorsed any AUTOS item. CONCLUSION: The German AUTOS is reliable and valid, and the results are consistent with the English AUTOS for use with adolescents.en-USAdolescentFactor Analysis, StatisticalFemaleGermanyHumansMalePersonal AutonomyPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesPsychometricsQuestionnairesReproducibility of ResultsSmokingadolescentssmokingtobaccoassessmentdependenceGermanyautonomy over tobaccoCommunity Health and Preventive MedicinePreventive MedicinePsychiatry and PsychologyPsychologySubstance Abuse and AddictionJournal Articlehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/fmch_articles/2547097110fmch_articles/254