The drinking situations of adolescents treated for alcohol use disorders: A psychometric and alcohol-related outcomes investigation

Psychometric properties of the Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS) were examined using a sample of adolescents with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs; N = 352; mean age = 16.6; 65.6% boys). Relations of drinking situations to alcohol-related outcomes 1 and 3 years following treatment also were investigated. Consistent with the higher-order structure of the IDS reported in adult samples, findings indicated that a 3 factor solution provided the best fit to the data: Negative (α = .98), Social (α = .95), and Temptation (α = .84) Situations. With regard to convergent and discriminate validity, evidence suggested that the Negative Situations subscale was related more strongly to an indicator of negative emotionality than to an indicator behavioral undercontrol. Conversely, the Social Situations subscale was associated more strongly with an indicator of behavioral undercontrol than an indicator of negative emotionality. Social and temptation drinking situations were associated with alcohol-related outcomes 1 year following treatment, but this was generally not the case 3 years following treatment. These results indicate that the IDS is a reliable and valid measure for use with adolescents receiving treatment for alcohol-related problems.