Development of a composite measure for assessing alcohol treatment outcome: Operationalization and validation

This article operationally describes and empirically validates a composite outcome measure developed for use in a multisite alcohol treatment matching study. Using empirically based clinical guidelines to establish alcohol co nsumption and alcohol-related problems criteria, 1,726 subjects were classi fied as abstinent, moderate drinking without problems, heavy drinking or pr oblems, Or heavy drinking and problems at intake and 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 mo nths postintake. Subjects with poorer composite outcome also had poorer out comes related to quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, alcohol-rel ated problems, serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase and other nonalcohol-rela ted measures assessing psychiatric dysfunction, psychosocial functioning, a nd purpose or meaning in life. Differences in the present composite measure relative to other categorical measures used in research to date and the po tential for incorporating nonalcohol-specific variables into composite meas ures are discussed.