Examination of the latent factor structure of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test in two independent trauma patient groups using confirmatory factor analysis

Abstract

Recent research on the factor structure of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) provides support for two underlying factors: consumption and consequences. The current study sought to extend these findings to two independent and diverse trauma populations: traumatic injury patients and military veterans treated for posttraumatic stress disorder. The 2- and 3-factor solutions provided the best fit to the data, but there was a very high correlation between the second and third factors of the 3-factor solution. Parsimony suggests that the 2-factor solution is the preferred model. The 2-factor model has implications for alcohol screening using the AUDIT and supports the goal of screening to identify those with hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorders. An algorithm is proposed to inform alcohol screening protocols in a range of health settings for trauma-exposed patient groups.