A multi‐site study of alcohol subtypes: classification and overlap of unidimensional and multi‐dimensional typologies

Abstract

Clinical utility of the ASP/non-ASP typology is limited in non-Veterans Administration (VA) samples, due to low prevalence. The Type 1/Type 2 subtyping schema was redundant with the age of onset schema, and was the least internally valid of all four typologies. In general, the Type A/B schema was most promising of prevailing typologies studied. It was relatively inclusive, and the A, B groups were distinct from one another. However, dichotomous typologies may not be complex enough to be clinically useful descriptors of alcoholic samples. Aside from ASP and Type B, there appears to be heterogeneity within groups typically considered homogeneous, such as 'early versus late onset' alcoholics.