A cross-cultural application of a drinking behaviour questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Alcoholism severity is often assessed using standardized questionnaires.
• Cross-cultural application of diagnostic tools can reveal cultural response biases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cross-cultural validity of the British Questionnaire for Drinking Behaviour (HDBQ) in Arab-Muslim alcoholics.
• To identify cultural factors influencing responses to alcoholism assessment tools.

Main Methods:

• The HDBQ was administered to 96 Arab-Muslim patients undergoing treatment for alcoholism in Kuwait.
• Statistical analysis compared scores between Arab and British samples.
• Response patterns, particularly absolute negatives, were examined.

Main Results:

• The HDBQ demonstrated validity in differentiating drinking categories among Arab alcoholics.
• Arab patients achieved significantly lower HDBQ scores compared to a British sample.
• A higher tendency for Arab patients to use absolute negatives in responses was observed.

Conclusions:

• Cultural factors may influence response styles in alcoholism assessment among Arab populations.
• Standardized diagnostic instruments may require cultural adaptation for accurate cross-cultural use.
• Further research is needed to refine transcultural applicability of behavioral assessment tools.