A factor analysis of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire

A factor analysis of 1309 Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaires (FTQ) was per formed with LISCOMP software, which utilizes tetrachoric correlations to ac count for the dichotomous responses of the FTQ. Three factors with eigenval ues greater than 1.0 were obtained, accounting for 56.6% of the variance. F actor 1 was loaded by questions "How soon on waking do you smoke your first cigarette?," "Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places i t is forbidden?," "How many cigarettes a day do you smoke?," and "Do you sm oke if you are so ill that you are in bed most of the day?" Factor 2 was lo aded by questions "Which cigarette would you hate to give up?" and "Do you smoke more during the morning than during the rest of the day?" Factor 3 wa s loaded exclusively by question "What brand do you smoke?" The question "D o you inhale always, sometimes, or never?" loaded exclusively on a fourth f actor, however its eigenvalue did not reach significance. Support is provid ed for the modification of the eight-item FTQ to the six-item Fagerstrom Te st for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Based on the wording of the questions th at loaded on each factor, we propose that Factor 2 assesses the degree of u rgency to initiate smoking after overnight abstinence and that Factor 1 ref lects the persistence of smoking during waking hours. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.