An empirical investigation of the factor structure of the AUDIT.

TLDR

The study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the AUDIT. The authors derived the factor structure from a large primary‑care sample and assessed psychometric indices using baseline and 12‑month follow‑up data from 301 trial participants. Principal components analysis identified two factors—Dependence/Consequences and Alcohol Consumption—while confirmatory factor analysis also supported a three‑factor model matching the AUDIT developers' proposal, with both models demonstrating good reliability and validity.

Abstract

This study investigated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test's (AUDIT) factor structure and psychometric properties. The factor structure was derived from a sample of 7,035 men and women primary care patients. A principal components analysis identified 2 factors in the AUDIT data and was supported in a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The 2 factors were Dependence/Consequences and Alcohol Consumption. The CFA also provided support for a 3-factor model whose factors (Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Dependence, and Related Consequences) matched those proposed by the AUDIT's developers. Psychometric indexes were determined by use of the baseline and 12-month follow-up data of 301 men and women who entered a clinical trial. The results showed that the 2 factors had good reliability. Validity tests supported the interpretation of what the 2 factors measure, its implications for relationships to other variables, and the comparability of the 2- and 3-factor models.