An empirical investigation of the factor structure of the AUDIT

This study investigated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test's (AU DIT) factor structure and psychometric properties. The factor structure was derived from a sample of 7,035 men and women primary care patients. A prin cipal components analysis identified 2 factors in the AUDIT data and was su pported in a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The 2 factors were Depende nce/Consequences and Alcohol Consumption. The CFA also provided support for a 3-factor model whose factors (Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Dependence, a nd Related Consequences) matched those proposed by the AUDIT'S developers. Psychometric indexes were determined by use of the baseline and 12-month fo llow-up data of 301 men and women who entered a clinical trial. The results showed that the 2 factors had good reliability. Validity tests supported t he interpretation of what the 2 factors measure, its implications for relat ionships to other variables, and the comparability of the 2- and 3-factor m odels.