Agreement among Feighner, RDC and DSM III criteria for alcoholism

Three sets of diagnostic criteria for alcoholism, Feighner criteria, Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC), and DSM III criteria, were examined to determine the concordance among them. The alcohol section of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS), which provides information allowing for diagnoses by all three sets of criteria, was administered to 484 blue collar workers. Overall, there was substantial agreement among the diagnostic systems, with 86% of the men receiving the same diagnosis by all three systems. However, more detailed analyses indicated that approximately one quarter of those receiving a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence according to DSM III were not diagnosed as alcoholic by Feighner criteria. It was suggested that this discrepancy was due to DSM III criteria (as represented in the DIS) diagnosing heavy drinkers with no attendant problems as alcoholic.