The concurrent validity of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale among at-risk adolescent females

This study investigated the empirical validity of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale as a measure of alcohol abuse, marijuana use, and related multiple substance use in a sample of N = 160. Classification accuracy was 45% for alcohol abuse, 48.8% for marijuana use, and 66% for related multiple substance use (n = 12). There were few differences in personality functioning as measured by the California Psychological Inventory between true positives and false negatives. Both groups exhibited adolescent qualities, i.e., irresponsibility, attraction to pleasure seeking, and minor rebelliousness. False negatives appeared to be slightly less impulsive and somewhat less secure about themselves. Both groups were also similar in terms of reported use of alcohol. They used alcohol to enhance a sense of well-being, i.e., to gain pleasure and to reduce dysphoric affect, but not to reduce inhibitions in social relationships. However, true positives tended to use alcohol to help cope with problems in personal relationships, such as rejection. Some limitations of the study, especially in relation to recent formulations of female alcoholism by MacAndrew (1986), were discussed.