A confirmatory analysis of the hierarchical structure of positive and negative dose-related alcohol expectancies in alcoholics and the associations with family history of alcoholism

Objective: The usefulness of measuring four types of alcohol-outcome expect ancies in alcoholics was investigated. Method: The investigation was conduc ted in three steps. First, a measurement model previously fitted in a gener al population sample was fitted in the present sample of alcoholics, using confirmative factor analysis. In the hierarchical model tested, four types of expectancies are represented as four second-order factors: positive and negative expectancies for a low and for a high dose of alcohol. The model w as compared with competing models. Second, a common measurement model:was t ested for subgroups of alcoholics categorized by gender and family history of alcoholism. Third, using path analysis, the associations were investigat ed for the four types of expectancies with variables of potential relevance for treatment. A sample of 451 male and female clinically referred alcohol ics volunteered to complete a series of questionnaires, including the expec tancy questionnaire. Results: Following minor modifications, the measuremen t model was found to fit adequately in the present sample of alcoholics and across the subsamples. Family history of alcoholism was positively associa ted with positive expectancies, especially for a high dose of alcohol. This association was mediated by cluster-B personality disorders. Conclusions: Even though the expectancy questionnaire used here should be refined in sev eral respects, the results demonstrate the usefulness of measuring four typ es of expectancies in alcoholics.