Citation

Bowns R, Loeffelman JE, Steinley D, Sher KJ. J. Am. Coll. Health 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2022.2095870

PMID

35882065

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To develop a shortened form of the Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test(1) (YAAPST; original length = 27 items) using a novel combinatorial approach. Participants: 489 college freshmen, half of whom were above average risk for alcohol use disorder based upon family history, attending a large, Midwestern University followed prospectively for 16-17 years across 7 measurement occasions (waves).

METHODS: Using an exhaustive combinatorial approach, we evaluated all possible combinations of questions and questionnaire length. Each candidate short-form was evaluated using part-whole correlations, alpha coefficients, and polyserial correlations with DSM-III criteria.

RESULTS: The 12-item scale, the Brief-YAAPST, was chosen as the best candidate short-form as this scale had the fewest items while maintaining strong reliability and validity.

CONCLUSIONS: Complete enumeration optimization effectively produced a 12-item short form with minimal loss of reliability and validity making the Brief-YAAPST a desirable assessment alternative when there are concerns about participant or client burden.

Language: en

Keywords

assessment; alcohol problems scale; combinatorics; Short-forms; YAAPST