An empirical typology of problem drinkers from the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test

In a program of treatment for persons convicted of driving while intoxicated, data from 504 male participants were collected and analyzed to identify groups homogeneous with respect to symptoms and consequences of problem drinking as indicated on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). Cluster analysis of MAST responses yielded 7 such groups, differing in level and pattern of alcohol-related problems. This classification was shown: (a) to be homogeneous and reliable; (b) to discriminate effectively within several sets of external criteria--specifically, scales and profiles from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and clinical ratings of reasons for drinking and of participation and outcome from treatment; and (c) to predict alcoholism criteria more powerfully than dimensional use of the MAST. Categorical representation of alcoholism from its psychosocial symptoms was shown to be a valid and valuable structural approach.