A New Measure for Assessing Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: The Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ)

Abstract

This article evaluates the psychometric properties of a new measure for assessing Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: the Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ). The ABQ is a self-report measure composed of two sections: the Severity Index (SI) and the Seven Domains Addiction Scale (7DAS). Materials and methods. A total sample of 698 subjects divided into two groups (515 subjects in the clinical sample and 183 subjects in the control sample), participated in this study. We applied Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to examine features of ABQ construct validity, we used Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to assess its internal reliability, and explored some aspects of its concurrent validity by examining its associations with other measures assessing addictive behaviors and psychopathology. Results and conclusions: results of EFA indicated that all the scales of the ABQ are unidimensional and showed good internal consistency. The correlations between the sections of the ABQ and the other measures used in the current study were significant and in the expected directions. These results suggest that the ABQ has good psychometric properties and allows researchers and clinicians to gather relevant information regarding behaviors, psychopathology and severity of symptoms, for the best clinical reasoning and for planning tailored treatment for each patient.

The Link between Attachment and Gambling in Adolescence: A Multiple Mediation Analysis with Developmental Perspective, Theory of Mind (Friend) and Adaptive Response

“…Several studies have supported the evidence that attachment styles could play a key role in adolescent gambling problems [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Indeed, a growing body of research analyzed the relationship between adolescent gambling and attachment styles and found a higher incidence of insecure relationships with caregiver in gamblers and also links between alexithymia, attachment, and gambling disorder [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Traumatic Distress, Alexithymia, Dissociation, and Risk of Addiction During the First Wave of COVID-19 in Italy: Results from a Cross-sectional Online Survey on a Non-clinical Adult Sample

“…Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ) The ABQ (Caretti et al, 2018) is a self-report questionnaire that assesses the different forms of addiction. It consists of two parts: the Severity Index (SI) and the Seven Domains Addiction Scale (7DAS).…”

“…The seven domains of the 7DAS, included in section B of ABQ, are Separation anxiety, Affect dysregulation, Somatoform and psychological dissociation, Childhood traumatic experiences, Impulse dyscontrol, Compulsive behavior and ritualization, and Obsessive thoughts (Caretti et al, 2016). The psychometric properties of the Italian version of ABQ were evaluated by Caretti et al (2018). More specifically, Cronbach's α coefficients for the scales of the SI suggested good reliability (Alcohol, Cronbach's α = .87; Gambling, Cronbach's α = .93; Internet, Cronbach's α = .84).…”

Effect of Physical Activity on Drug Craving of Women With Substance Use Disorder in Compulsory Isolation: Mediating Effect of Internal Inhibition

“…On the basis of the self-medication hypothesis, young individuals with high social anxiety may use marijuana to alleviate emotional distress and respond to unpleasant social conditions (Khantzian, 1997), and individuals with higher drug dependence are more likely to be paranoid, and then exacerbate psychotic-like symptoms (Musetti et al, 2016). At the same time, individuals with substance use disorder may actually use substance or excessive behavior as an external regulator and self-medication to treat their emotional disorders and painful mental states, and individuals with alcohol use disorders often suffers more traumatic events in childhood (Craparo et al, 2014; Caretti et al, 2018). Based on this, Schimmenti and Bifulco (2015) pointed out in the report that the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) has good psychometric characteristics and was considered to be the gold standard for assessing trauma and lack of care experienced during childhood, and these also achieved initial results in predicting depression.…”