The College Alcohol Problems Scale

A short, reliable two-factor instrument measuring drinking-related negative consequences was developed from a previous measure using two samples of co llege students. Ln Study I, data on alcohol use and problems associated wit h alcohol use were collected on 382 introductory psychology students. The o riginal College Alcohol Problems Scale (CAPS) was tested and found to fit t he data poorly. Sequential methods were used to develop a revised instrumen t. Principal components analyses (PCA) on half of the sample were conducted on 20 items written to measure negative consequences related to college st udent drinking. Results indicated a two-factor solution measuring social an d emotional problems. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) on the other half of the sample confirmed the two-factor structure. Further refinement of the instrument resulted in the revised CAPS (CAPS-r), an eight-item two-factor scale. In Study II, the response format was altered to coincide with the Y oung Adult Problem Screening Test. A total of 726 students completed the in strument as part of a university-wide random sample. CFA showed that the hy pothesized model fit well across all measures of model fit and the factor s tructure was invariant across gender. Additional analyses revealed that the scale was internally consistent and externally valid. A short reliable and valid measure of alcohol-related problems is needed to enable low-cost dat a collection on college campuses across the nation, as well as to facilitat e program evaluation and routine epidemiological surveillance and monitorin g. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.