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The Mini Alcohol Craving Experience Questionnaire: Development and Clinical Application
Author(s) -
Coates Jason M.,
Gullo Matthew J.,
Feeney Gerald F.X.,
Kavanagh David J.,
Young Ross McD.,
Dingle Genevieve A.,
May Jon,
Andrade Jackie,
Statham Dixie J.,
Connor Jason P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13278
Subject(s) - craving , alcohol use disorder , construct validity , clinical psychology , convergent validity , psychology , psychiatry , psychometrics , medicine , physical therapy , alcohol , addiction , biochemistry , chemistry , internal consistency
Background Standardized alcohol craving scales are rarely used outside of research environments despite recognized clinical utility. Scale length is a key barrier to more widespread application. A brief measure of alcohol craving is needed to improve research and treatment of alcohol use disorders ( AUD s). Grounded in the Elaborated Intrusion Theory of Desire, the Alcohol Craving Experience ( ACE ) Questionnaire comprises two 11‐item self‐report scales that assess past‐week frequency and maximum strength of alcohol craving. This study aimed to create a brief version of the ACE while maintaining psychometric integrity and clinical utility. Methods Patients attending a university hospital alcohol and drug outpatient service for the treatment of AUD completed the ACE as part of a questionnaire battery. Three patient samples were utilized: 519 patients with pretreatment and outcome data, 228 patients with pretreatment data, and 66 patients who completed the ACE at treatment sessions 1 and 2. Results The Frequency scale of the ACE possessed greater clinical utility and predictive validity than the Strength scale. Revision of the Frequency measure produced a 5‐item “Mini Alcohol Craving Experience” ( MACE ) Questionnaire. Satisfactory validity (construct, predictive, concurrent, convergent, and incremental) and reliability (internal and test–retest) were maintained. A 1 standard deviation increase in pretreatment MACE score was associated with a 54 percentage increase in the odds of patient lapse or dropout. Conclusions The MACE provides a brief, theoretically, and psychometrically robust measure of alcohol craving suitable for use with AUD populations in time‐limited clinical and research settings.