A literature review to assess the reliability and validity of measures appropriate for use in research to evaluate the efficacy of a brief harm reduction strategy in reducing cannabis use among people with schizophrenia in acute inpatient settings.

There is a growing body of evidence looking at the effects of cannabis use on those with schizophrenia with concerning results. This has led to the development of a number of interventions that are intended to improve outcomes for this client group. However, the methodological quality of some dual diagnosis research has been questioned in reviews for using outcome measures that are not tested as reliable and valid in the population for which they are intended for use. This literature review assesses the self-report measures that have been reliability and validity tested in populations of people with schizophrenia who use cannabis and reports on their appropriateness for use in further research studies. An overview of the most appropriate biochemical tests for cannabis is also given.