CONFIRMING THE FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE ANTICIPATED BIPHASIC ALCOHOL EFFECTS SCALE

This study of the Anticipated Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (A-BAES) examined the factor structure of expected stimulant and sedative effec ts on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol curve. S ubjects reported the effects they anticipated they would experience im mediately after drinking four drinks (ascending) and 11/2 hr later (de scending). The proposed 4-factor model of stimulant and sedative effec ts on the ascending and descending limbs fit the data significantly be tter than single-factor, null, limb-only, and effect-only models, sugg esting that the A-BAES has a confirmable structure. In addition, antic ipated effects varied with limb of the blood alcohol curve, gender, an d drinking habits. Anticipated stimulant effects were higher on the as cending than descending limbs; anticipated sedative effects were highe r on the descending than ascending limbs. Women and men differed in th eir anticipated effects of alcohol, even when differences in drinking habits were controlled. Anticipated sedative effects correlated signif icantly with alcohol consumption, offering further support for the rel ation between expectancies and drinking.