Measuring adolescent alcohol outcome expectancies

The psychometric properties and construct validity of the Comprehensive Eff ects of Alcohol (CEOA) questionnaire were compared with those of the Alcoho l Expectancy Questionnaire-Adolescent version (AEQ-A) in relation to adoles cent alcohol consumption. Both measures of adolescent alcohol expectancies were found to be internally reliable and temporally stable. Alcohol use was significantly associated with subjective evaluations for Cognitive and Beh avioral Impairment and Self-Perception on the CEOA and with expected effect s for Cognitive and Motor impairment and Changes in Social Behavior on the AEQ-A. Compared with the AEQ-A, the CEOA explained more variance in quantit y (28%) and a similar variance in frequency (15%) for adolescent alcohol us e (AEQ-A quantity = 20%, frequency = 15%). Whereas the general content and psychometric properties of the 2 measures are markedly similar, the Likert response format, shorter length, and assessment of both expected effects an d subjective evaluations with the CEOA may offer measurement advantages ove r the AEQ-A.