DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALE FOR MEASURING IMPAIRED CONTROL OVER ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Impaired control over drinking has occupied a central place in explana tions of alcohol dependence since the late 18th century. Despite this key theoretical role, no instrument has been developed to directly ass ess the construct. This article describes the development of a three-p art Impaired Control Scale (ICS), in which Part 1 measures the degree to which a subject has attempted to exercise control over drinking in the past 6 months; Part 2 measures the degree of success in controllin g drinking over the past 6 months; and Part 3 measures the subject's b elief in his or her ability to control drinking if it were attempted. Psychometric analysis showed that, despite difficulties reported in th e literature, impaired control could be measured in a reliable fashion , with satisfactory discriminant and concurrent validity. Preliminary investigation of the relationship between the ICS and elements of the alcohol dependence syndrome suggests that the construct of impaired co ntrol is related to, but may be distinguished from, a general factor o f alcohol dependence. While more research is needed to replicate these findings and to examine interrelationships among the various parts of the ICS, the scale may have both theoretical and practical value in r esearch and treatment for alcohol dependence and its related problems.