Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire: Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to determine the validity and reliability of Turkish version of Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) developed by Tim Stockwell and colleagues in 1983 for the purpose of evaluating the severity of dependence in people with alcohol use disorder. METHOD: The present study was conducted with an adult sample of 200 participants with alcohol use disorder according to DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) who applied to Ege University Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science. Regarding validity analysis, item-total score correlation coefficients and principal component analysis were calculated. The scale was compared with Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). Reliability analysis was performed with internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Considering the internal consistency reliability of scale, Cronbach's Alpha Reliability Coefficient was found to be α=0.914. Item and Total Score Correlation Coefficients of the scale items were found between 0.309 and 0.730 (p<0.01). The mean test-retest scores of the scale and its sub-dimensions were calculated with t-test for dependent groups and the difference was not statistically significant. Testretest correlation coefficient of the scale was found 0.855 (p<0.01). Exploratory factor analysis explained 70.5% of the total variance and four sub-dimensions were identified. Factor loadings of these sub-dimensions were estimated between 0.49-0.91. The correlation between SADQ and MAST was statistically significant (r=0.557, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the Turkish version of the SADQ with four sub-dimensions is a reliable and valid instrument in determining severity of alcohol dependence.