This study was conducted to develop a scale that assesses perceptions of self-efficacy in potentially stressful situations for chemically dependent adolescents. Adolescent subjects (N=100) currently receiving treatment for chemical dependency were given a 20-situation questionnaire, the Adolescent Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES). Students were requested to review the 20 situations and respond on a scale of 1 to 10 whether they would feel most or least confident in their ability to resist drug use or abuse. A factor analysis was employed to identify and summarize possible interrelationships among the individual variables; this yielded three factors: (1) emotional/interpersonal; (2) social/recreational; and (3) grief/loss. In Factors 1 and 3, the participants viewed their drug use as a response to the stress of conflict and loss resolution. Factor 2 seemed to reflect a need to enhance pleasure and enjoyment of events through the use of drugs. These findings suggest that substance abuse among adolescent populations often results from situational stressors. Implications for future study and application of self-efficacy concepts to treatment are considered, and references are included. (TE)