Citation

Kiselica AM, Cohn AM, Hagman BT. Addict. Disord. Their Treat. 2015; 14(1): 53-59.

Affiliation

Division of Treatment and Recovery Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/ADT.0000000000000036

PMID

25750592

PMCID

PMC4349434

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Young adults have some of the highest rates of problem drinking and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) relative to any other age. However, recent evidence suggests that the DSM-IV hierarchical classification system of AUDs does not validly represent symptoms in the population; instead, it evinces a unitary, dimensional classification scheme. The DSM-5 has been altered to fit this changing, evidence-based conceptualization. Nevertheless, little is understood about the degree to which known risk factors for DSM-IV AUD diagnoses will transfer to the new DSM-5 guidelines in this group of high-risk drinkers. The current study built a coherent model of liabilities for DSM-IV AUDs in young adults and tested for transferability to DSM-5.

METHODS: N = 496 college students (51.10% male) were assessed on a variety of factors related to AUD risk, including demographics, substance use (past 90-days), and drinking motives. Liability models were created using all variables in Structural Equation Modeling to test direct and indirect effects on DSM diagnostic status. The best model under the DSM-IV was chosen based on fit and parsimony. This model was then applied to the DSM-5 system to test for transferability.

RESULTS: The best the fitting model for DSM-IV included direct influences of drug use, quantity-frequency of alcohol consumption, and social and coping drinking motives. Improved model fit was found when the DSM-5 system was the outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of risk factors for AUDs appear to transfer well to the new diagnostic system.

Language: en