Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale Research Articles

Reward and relief craving tendencies in patients with alcohol use disorders: Results from the PREDICT study

BackgroundPrevious research suggests that patients' tendencies toward either reward or relief craving are distinct continuous factorial dimensions of craving for alcohol. According to these tendencies patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) might also be allocated into distinct subgroups. In personalized treatment, patients of such different subgroups might respond differently to various psychotherapeutic and pharmacological interventions aimed at relapse prevention. ObjectivesTo establish that the items of the subscale Temptation to Drink of the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale (AASE) capture two continuous dimensions of reward and relief craving, and that they allow the identification of respective discrete class factors and subgroups of patients with AUD. MethodsNonlinear confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and latent class factor analysis (LCFA) were performed with data from 426 detoxified patients with AUD. The validity of continuous relief and reward dimensions, discrete class factors, and subtypes with different craving tendencies was established by including past drinking in positive and negative settings, gender, trait anxiety and perceived stress as covariates in the finally accepted CFA and LCFA measurement models. ResultsThe AASE temptation items formed two continuous relief and reward craving factors. They also associated themselves to two binary class factors, which defined four craving subgroups. Two of them (21% and 29% of patients) were characterized by high levels of either reward or relief craving tendencies. A third subgroup (31%) rated both tendencies in an equal high measure, while a fourth (18%) reported almost no craving tendencies at all. Past drinking in negative and positive settings was significantly associated with relief or reward craving tendencies. Male patients reported reward drinking more frequently than female patients. Trait anxiety was positively related only to the relief craving tendency. Unexpectedly, patients' level of perceived stress was associated with both craving tendencies. ConclusionsThe AASE temptation items are suited to identify relief and reward craving dimensions and to assign patients to according subtypes. Thus, they can be used to screen for corresponding patient subgroups, possibly allowing allocation to interventions that are specifically tailored to patient's particular craving tendencies. Hence: A relatively simple psychometric measure could help in improving treatment outcomes through a personalized approach to intervention.

Development of a Brief Abstinence Self-Efficacy Measure

This study compared the 40-item Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy (AASE) scale with domains of confidence and temptation to a new 12-item version developed by the authors consisting of the same domains. There were 126 participants who completed the survey. Psychometric analysis demonstrated high reliability and validity consisting of high correlations between domains of confidence (α = .92) and temptation (α = .88) in the 40-item version of the scale compared to the briefer version. The 12-item version appears to provide a clinically reliable and valid measure of AASE domains of confidence and temptation, providing a more efficient tool for clinical practice.

Spirituality during Alcoholism Treatment and Continuous Abstinence for One Year

The primary aim of this prospective study was to examine the role of several aspects of spirituality in maintaining abstinence from alcohol for one year in persons treated for alcohol dependence. The roles of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy and Alcoholics Anonymous affiliation were also examined. Seventy-four adults with alcohol dependence who had completed a three-week outpatient addiction program participated in this study. Instruments used included the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Duke Religion Index, Brief Religious Coping Scale, Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale, and Alcoholics Anonymous Affiliation Scale. Abstinence data was collected from participants and collaterals three, six, and twelve months after treatment discharge. Demographics, discharge measures, and the change in scores from admission to discharge were compared between those with and without 12-month alcohol abstinence using logistic regression or Fisher's exact tests. Twenty-eight participants were categorized as continuously abstinent for one year. The strongest associations between 12 month abstinence and the variables of interest were discharge scores of abstinence self-efficacy and existential well-being, and increases during treatment in scores of private spiritual practices. Increased age demonstrated a significant association with positive outcome. The associations of private spiritual practices, existential well-being, and abstinence self-efficacy with one year of continuous abstinence following treatment discharge suggest the importance of addressing issues related to these variables during alcoholism treatment. More research is needed to understand the role of these variables in promoting and maintaining abstinence and to determine whether or not a related intervention would improve abstinence rates.

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Selbstwirksamkeit und Alkoholabstinenz bei ambulant und stationär behandelten Patienten: Ergebnisse einer 2-Jahres-Katamnese

This study examines the relationship between (alcohol specific) self-efficacy expectancies and abstinence from alcohol measured at 3 follow-ups (t1 = 6, t2 = 12 and t3 = 24 months after treatment) in 3 groups of patients with different severity levels of their alcohol dependency. N = 169 patients were included (n = 65 outpatient treatment, n = 51 inpatient short-term and n = 53 inpatient long-term treatment). Self-efficacy was measured using the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale (AASE). Treatment outcome was defined as complete abstinence from alcohol at time of follow-ups. The AASE differentiates reliably between abstinent and non-abstinent patients in each treatment group at the 3 follow-ups. Abstinent patients had significant higher scores in both of the two subscales confidence and temptation. The strongest relationship between AASE and treatment outcome could be found for subjects in short-term inpatient treatment. The impact of the results for clinical practice is discussed.

Measuring self-efficacy among drug-involved probationers.

Self-efficacy has been shown to be related to outcomes from interventions for alcohol and tobacco abuse but relatively little attention has been focused on it in evaluations of treatment for illicit drug abuse. Almost no research has examined offenders involved with drugs. The current study, therefore, adapted the Alcohol Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale of DiClemente, Carbonari, Montgomery, and Hughes and administered it to 250 probationers mandated to 6 months of residential treatment. With some modifications, confirmatory factory models replicated four previously reported dimensions, e.g., Negative Affect, Social/Positive, Physical and Other Concerns, Cravings and Urges. Findings also indicated high construct validity for the Alcohol Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale as adapted here. Studies are needed to examine the use of self-efficacy as a prospective measure of treatment progress and to explore its association with outcomes from corrections-based treatment.

The Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy scale.

This study describes the development and the initial psychometric properties of a 20-item, self-report measure to assess Bandura's construct of self-efficacy applied to alcohol abstinence. Efficacy expectations are theorized to mediate behavior change and moderate effort and effective action. The sample was 174 male and 92 female subjects who came to an outpatient alcoholism treatment clinic. Abstinence efficacy was assessed with subject ratings on a 5-point Likert scale of confidence to abstain from alcohol across 20 different high-risk situations. A parallel set of items assessed subjects' temptation to drink in each situation. This Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy scale (AASE) demonstrated a solid subscale structure and strong indices of reliability and validity. The four 5-item subscales measured types of relapse precipitants labeled negative affect, social positive, physical and other concerns, and withdrawal and urges. Both in structure and mean scores the AASE demonstrated no substantive gender differences. The AASE represents a brief, easily usable and psychometrically sound measure of an individual's self-efficacy to abstain from drinking.