The Drinking Motives Questionnaire among Swedish psychiatric patients: An exploration of the four-factor structure

Alcohol use above hazardous limits is common among persons with psychiatric disorders, and there is limited knowledge about motives for drinking. The objective of this study was to explore the adequacy of the four-factor structure of drinking motives in an adult psychiatric outpatient population in Sweden by confirming the factor structure in the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ-R) and in alternative models.

In total, 371 patients responded to the DMQ-R along with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). AUDIT was used to assess frequency of alcohol consumption, number of drinks consumed on a typical occasion and binge drinking frequency. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of the DMQ-R and alternative models, including the short form, DMQ-R SF.

Fit statistics suggested that the original four-factor model had questionable fit (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.10, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.89, standardised root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.08). The model with the best fit indices was the DMQ-R SF (RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.04). When using DMQ-R SF in further analyses enhancement, the most strongly endorsed motives were related to quantity and AUDIT sum score. Coping motives were most strongly related to AUDIT sum score, frequency and binge drinking. Social motives were only related to binge drinking, whereas conformity motives were not statistically associated with any motives.

The study implies that the 12-item short form, DMQ-R SF, could be more appropriate than the original DMQ-R in this group. [Öster C, Arinell H, Nehlin C. The Drinking Motives Questionnaire among Swedish psychiatric patients: An exploration of the four-factor structure. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:400-407].