A subjective assessment of the short-term effects of alcohol consumption. Preliminary studies on the Polish language adaptation of “The Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale”

Abstract

IntroductionThe short-term effects of alcohol consumption are experienced as biphasic, depending on the stage of its metabolisation. Usually at the beginning of the consumption, while the level of alcohol in blood is increasing, it is generally perceived as a stimulant and when decreasing as a sedative. Martin et al.’s Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) is a self-reported measure of short-term effects of drinking. The aim of the study was to prepare the Polish adaptation of the scale in order to determine its reliability and offer a preliminary assessment of validity. Materials and methodsThe modified Polish adaptation of BAES is now complete as Skala Efektów Picia Alkoholu (SEPA) (Scale of Alcohol Drinking Effects). To validate SEPA, Poprawa's Alcohol Use Scale and Polish adaptation of Fromme, Stroot and Kaplan's Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Questionnaire were used. The research was conducted on two independent samples of young adults: N=331 and N=222. ResultsTwo-factor structure of SEPA and validity of modifications were confirmed both in the assessment of moderate and high alcohol dosages. The tool's reliability indicators were very good. Both subscales of sedative and stimulant effects adequately and significantly correlate with the expected effects of drinking. The results of the subscale of stimulating effects positively correlate with the expectations of positive effects of alcohol and the results of the subscale of sedative effects – with negative expectations of alcohol. ConclusionsSEPA reliably measures the subjective short-term twofold effects of drinking: positive stimulant and negative sedative.