Development and initial psychometric validation of the Brief-Caffeine Expectancy Questionnaire (B-CaffEQ)

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychopharmacology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive substance in the US.
• Use expectancies significantly influence substance consumption patterns.
• Limited research exists on caffeine-specific use effect expectancies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To psychometrically validate a brief, 20-item version of the Caffeine Expectancy Questionnaire (B-CaffEQ).
• To assess the reliability and validity of the B-CaffEQ in a diverse undergraduate sample.
• To provide a more accessible tool for measuring caffeine use expectancies.

Main Methods:

• Psychometric validation of the 20-item Brief-Caffeine Expectancy Questionnaire (B-CaffEQ).
• Utilized confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling.
• Assessed concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity in a multiethnic sample (N=975).

Main Results:

• The B-CaffEQ replicated the 7-factor structure of the original 47-item CaffEQ.
• Demonstrated good internal consistency, concurrent validity with caffeine use, and convergent validity.
• Showed discriminant validity from other stimulant use metrics and invariance across user types.

Conclusions:

• The B-CaffEQ is a reliable and valid measure of caffeine use effect expectancies.
• Its brevity and strong psychometric properties facilitate wider research and clinical application.
• The B-CaffEQ offers a practical alternative to longer expectancy measures.