DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder Criteria Research Articles

Do personality characteristics predict future alcohol problems after considering current demography, substance use, and alcohol response?

Several personality traits predict future alcohol problems but also relate to demographic and substance-related variables that themselves correlate with later adverse alcohol outcomes. Few prospective studies have evaluated whether personality measures predict alcohol problems after considering current demographic and substance-related variables. Data from 414 drinkers without alcohol use disorder (AUD) from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (average age 20, 44% male) were followed over an average of 9 years. Time 1 (baseline) demography, AUD family history (FH), substance use and problems, and psychiatric histories were gathered using a standardized interview; the Level of Response (LR) to alcohol was measured by the Self-Report of the Effects of alcohol (SRE) questionnaire; and seven personality dimensions were extracted from the NEO Five-Factor Personality, Barratt, and Zuckerman scales. Analyses involved product-moment correlations of each baseline measure with the highest number of DSM-IV AUD criteria endorsed in any follow-up period, and hierarchical regression analyses evaluated whether the personality domains added significantly to the prediction of the outcome after adjusting for other baseline variables. Significant correlations with the outcome were observed for baseline age, sex, length of follow-up, AUD family history, past cannabis use, and all alcohol-related baseline variables, including SRE-based LR, but not prior mood or anxiety disorders. All personality characteristics except extraversion also correlated with outcomes. Ahierarchical regression analysis that included all relevant personality scores together demonstrated significant contributions to the prediction of future alcohol problems for demographics in Step 1; demographics and most baseline alcohol items, including response level, in Step 2; and cannabis use in Step 3; after which demographics, LR, baseline alcohol problems, cannabis use, and higher sensation seeking added significantly in Step 4. Regression for each personality domain separately revealed significant contributions to Step 4 for all personality domains except openness. Lower levels of response to alcohol added significantly to all regression analyses. Most tested personality scores and lower levels of response to alcohol contributed to predictions of later alcohol problems even after considering baseline demographic and substance use measures.

The association between personality disorders with alcohol use and misuse: A population-based twin study

BackgroundA clearer understanding of the etiological overlap between DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) and alcohol use (AU) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is needed. To our knowledge, no study has modeled the association between all 10 DSM-IV PDs and lifetime AU and AUD. The aim of the present study is to identify which PDs are most strongly associated with the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental risks of lifetime AU and AUD, and to determine if these associations are stable across time. MethodsParticipants were Norwegian twins assessed at two waves. At Wave 1, 2801 twins were assessed for all 10 DSM-IV PD criteria, lifetime AU, and DSM-IV AUD criteria. At Wave 2, six of the 10 PDs were again assessed along with AU and AUD among 2393 twins. Univariate and multiple logistic regressions were run. Significant predictors were further analyzed using bivariate twin Cholesky decompositions. ResultsBorderline and antisocial PD criteria were the strongest predictors of AU and AUD across the two waves. Despite moderate phenotypic and genetic correlations, genetic variation in these PD criteria explained only 4% and 3% of the risks in AU, and 5% to 10% of the risks in AUD criteria, respectively. At Wave 2, these estimates increased to 8% and 23% for AU, and 17% and 33% for AUD. ConclusionsAmong a large Norwegian twin sample, borderline and antisocial PD criteria were the strongest predictors of the phenotypic and genotypic liability to AU and AUD. This effect remained consistent across time.

College students who endorse a sub-threshold number of DSM-5 alcohol use disorder criteria: Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use in DSM-5 diagnostic orphans

Diagnostic orphans (DOs) represent a group of individuals with no formal diagnosis, despite endorsing some criteria of an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Prior research has indicated that rates of DSM-IV DOs in college are high and closely resemble those with an alcohol abuse diagnosis across pertinent alcohol use risk factors. However, significant changes to the DSM-IV AUD criteria have been made for the current DSM-5 manual, which may impact how DOs are classified. This study examined the unique alcohol and illicit drug use characteristics of a group of 2,620 DSM-5 DOs in college and tested whether DOs differed from those with and without a DSM-5 AUD across pertinent alcohol and drug use risk factors. Participants were 2,620 DSM-5 DO undergraduate college students, between the ages of 18 and 30, recruited from three public universities in the Southeastern, United States. Diagnostic orphans represented 19.6% (n = 506) of the sample; with the most frequently endorsed criteria being tolerance and consuming alcohol in hazardous situations. DOs reported significantly greater alcohol consumption, alcohol and drug related problems, and illicit drug use compared to those with no DSM-5 AUD diagnosis. Alternatively, DOs reported significantly lower alcohol use and illicit drug use compared to those with a DSM-5 AUD. The present findings indicate that DSM-5 DOs in college represent a distinct group of drinkers relative to those with and without a DSM-5 AUD. Current screening initiatives should target this group to prevent future escalation of problem drinking.

Craving as an alcohol use disorder symptom in DSM-5: An empirical examination in a treatment-seeking sample.

Craving has been added as an alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptom in DSM-5 but relatively few nosological studies have directly examined the empirical basis for doing so. The current study investigated the validity of craving as an AUD symptom in a sample of heavy drinking treatment-seeking individuals. Using a semistructured clinical interview, individuals (N = 104; 62% male) were assessed for symptoms of DSM-IV AUD. The extent to which individuals endorsed pathological levels of craving in comparison with other AUD symptoms was investigated as was the association between craving and several aspects of problematic alcohol involvement. Factor analysis was utilized to examine whether craving and other AUD symptoms comprised a unidimensional syndrome. Results indicated that craving was significantly positively correlated with AUD severity, quantitative indices of drinking, and adverse consequences of alcohol abuse. In terms of frequency of endorsement, craving was present in 47% of the sample and was the 8th most frequent of the 12 symptoms evaluated. When considered with the DSM-IV AUD criteria, craving aggregated with other symptoms to form a unidimensional syndrome. Extending previous findings from epidemiological samples, these data suggest that, in a clinical sample, many relevant aspects of craving aggregate to form a diagnostic criterion that functions similarly to other AUD symptoms and is related to diverse aspects of alcohol-related impairment.

Alcohol Use Disorders among Substance Dependent Women on Temporary Assistance with Needy Families: More Information for Diagnostic Modifications for DSM-5

While modifications to alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria are proposed for DSM-5, examination of the criteria's performance among highly vulnerable populations is lacking. This study determined the dimensionality and rank order severity of the DSM-IV AUD criteria among Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients with high rates of chemical dependency and co-morbid mental health disorders. Secondary analysis was performed on data from 461 TANF eligible women screened for AUD criteria using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed on the AUD criteria. Two-parameter Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis was performed to determine item location and discrimination of criteria for both abuse and dependence. Differential item functioning for those with an additional substance use disorder or with high levels of depressive symptoms was explored. 41.2% met criteria for dependence, and 4.4% for abuse. EFA and CFA revealed a two-factor model provided adequate fit to criteria, and IRT indicated a potential hierarchical order between the criteria-abuse being more severe but dependence having greater reliability. Contrary to existing literature, findings suggest that a two-factor solution may be appropriate. Implications are discussed.

Deconstructing the architecture of alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms in a community sample of late adolescent and emerging adult women: An item response approach

The objective of this study was to examine the underlying factorial architecture of lifetime DSM-IV alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria in a population-based sample of adolescent and emerging adult female twins who had ever used alcohol (n=2832; aged 18–25 years), and to determine whether thresholds and factor loadings differed by age. Item response modeling was applied to DSM-IV AUD criteria. Compound criteria (e.g., persistent desire or unsuccessful attempts to quit or cut down) were included as separate items. Of the remaining 16 items, tolerance and use despite physical problems were the most and least commonly endorsed items, respectively. Underlying the items was a single factor representing liability to AUDs. Factor loadings ranged from 0.67 for blackouts to 0.90 for time spent using/recovering from effects. Some items assessing different DSM-IV criteria had very similar measurement characteristics, while others assessing the same criterion showed markedly different thresholds and factor loadings. Compared to that of women aged 21–25 years, the threshold for hazardous use was higher in women aged 18–20 years, but lower for used longer than intended and persistent desire to cut down. After accounting for threshold differences, no variations in discrimination across age groups were observed. In agreement with the extant literature, our findings indicate that the factorial structure of AUD is unidimensional, with no support for the abuse/dependence distinction. Individual components of compound criteria may differ in measurement properties; therefore pooling information from such divergent items will reduce information about the AUD construct.