ESTIMATING MEASUREMENT ERROR IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE SYMPTOMATOLOGY - FINDINGS FROM A MULTISITE STUDY

Inter-rater test-retest reliability of alcohol diagnoses and symptom r atings, made by means of a modified version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), were evaluated in the context of a mu ltisite clinical trial of alcoholism treatment. Reliability coefficien ts for the subject's 'worst period' and the 'current period' were comp ared. The results show that with proper training, reliable diagnostic classification can be achieved across multiple sites. Symptom reliabil ities for the current period were higher than the worst period. Respon dents with higher discrepancies between test and retest tended to drin k more on each drinking occasion, reported more medical detoxification s, changed residence more often, had lower occupational status and wer e rated by the interviewer as less attentive, motivated and intelligen t. Methods to monitor and improve the reliability of diagnostic interv iews in addiction research, particularly in multisite studies, are dis cussed in relation to the findings. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.