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A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
[Validation study of the Multidimensional Alcohol Craving Scale (MACS)]
José Guardia Serecigni1, Lidia Segura García, Begoña Gonzalvo Cirac
1Unidad de Conductas Adictivas, Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. jguardia@hsp.santpau.es
Medicina Clinica
|July 30, 2004
Summary
This study validated the Multidimensional Alcohol Craving Scale (MACS) in Spain. The MACS accurately measures alcohol craving, assessing desire and behavioral disinhibition in patients.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Craving is a key feature of addiction, but its subjective and multidimensional nature complicates assessment.
- Existing craving scales may not fully capture the complexity of this psychobiological phenomenon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the Multidimensional Alcohol Craving Scale (MACS), a novel instrument developed in Spain.
- To assess the psychometric properties of the MACS for measuring alcohol craving.
Main Methods:
- An observational study involving 452 alcohol-dependent patients undergoing naltrexone treatment.
- Validation involved assessing construct validity, reliability, and sensitivity using established scales like the Analogic Visual Scale (AVS) and Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS).
Main Results:
- Factorial analysis confirmed two primary factors: desire and behavioral disinhibition (lack of resistance).
- The MACS demonstrated strong construct validity (correlations r = 0.56 and r = 0.50) and excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.94).
- Significant correlations were found between MACS scores and the AVS throughout treatment (r = 0.56 to 0.46, p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- The MACS exhibits robust psychometric properties, making it a reliable tool for assessing alcohol craving.
- The scale effectively measures two critical dimensions of craving: desire and behavioral disinhibition.
- The MACS is suitable for use in both clinical practice and research settings for alcohol dependence treatment.
