The structure of DSM-IV alcohol dependence in a treatment sample of Mexican and Mexican American men

Aims. To examine the symptom profile and factorial structure of DSM-IV alco hol dependence. Design. Subjects were interviewed in program facilities by trained interviewers wing a standardized questionnaire. The response rate w as 95% in Mexico and 90% in the United States. Setting. Two publicly funded inpatient facilities in Mexico and five in the United States. In Mexico th e programs were located in Mexico City. In the United States the programs w ere located in Santa Clara County, California. Participants. Three hundred and ninety-one Mexican and 212 Mexican American men in treatment for alcoho l problems in Mexico and the United States. Measurement. Dependence criteri a were assessed with the Composite Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Mod ule (CIDI-SAM). Findings. The unidimensional structure of alcohol dependenc e fits the Mexican American data but not the Mexican data. However, when Me xican clients were divided according to place of interview (treatment progr am), the unidimensional structure fits one of the groups but not the other. Conclusions. The test of unidimensionality must be seen as inconclusive wi th regard to the Mexican data. These results highlight the potential influe nce that client selection methods may have on study results, especially in cross-cultural projects.