The comprehensive alcohol expectancy questionnaire: confirmatory factor analysis, scale refinement, and further...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Alcohol expectancies are cognitive factors influencing alcohol use.
• The Comprehensive Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (CAEQ) is a self-report measure for assessing these expectancies.
• Previous versions of the CAEQ required psychometric evaluation in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric properties of the revised Comprehensive Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (CAEQ).
• To validate the CAEQ in a student sample and a clinical sample of alcohol-dependent inpatients.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the Five-factor structure of the CAEQ.
• Convergent validity was examined by correlating CAEQ scores with measures of drinking quantity and frequency.
• The study involved a large student sample (N=932) and a clinical sample of alcohol-dependent inpatients (N=744).

Main Results:

• The Five-factor structure of the revised CAEQ was confirmed.
• Convergent validity was supported, with significant relationships observed between CAEQ scores and drinking patterns.
• The revised CAEQ demonstrated sound psychometric properties in both student and clinical populations.

Conclusions:

• The revised Comprehensive Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (CAEQ) is a psychometrically sound instrument.
• The CAEQ is suitable for assessing alcohol expectancies in both general student populations and individuals with alcohol dependence.
• This validated tool can aid in understanding and addressing alcohol-related behaviors.