Screening for Paternal Alcoholism: Reliability of a German Version of the F-SMAST

Abstract

The development of screening instruments for the detection of paternal alcoholism is of both clinical and research interest. F-SMAST, an adapted version of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST), has proven to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of an individual’s father’s drinking history. The present investigation examines the reliability of a German version of the F-SMAST. Internal consistency and test-retest stability (Pearson correlation coefficients on unweighted total scores; ĸ statistics and Yule’s Y of the individual items) are evaluated in a sample of undergraduates (n = 202). Internal consistency of the F-SMAST is re-evaluated in a second study by analysing the responses of alcohol-dependent in-patients (n = 205). The German version of the F-SMAST exhibited excellent reliability in terms of internal consistency and test-retest stability of the unweighted total scores. Test-retest agreement of the individual items was in the acceptable range. Taking into account the lifetime prevalence of alcoholism and several background variables (e.g. marital status and number of real children) a cut score of 6 or 7 on the F-SMAST seems appropriate for the detection of paternal alcoholism.

Influence of alcohol on the processing of emotional facial expressions in individuals with social phobia

“…Further instruments were general measures of psychopathology (German version of the Beck Depression Inventory, BDI, Hautzinger, Bailer, Worall, & Keller, 1994; German version of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, ASI, Ehlers, 1986; Peterson & Reiss, 1987) and the German version of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ, Demmel & Hagen, 2003). Finally, all participants filled out the German version of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test for both parents (Demmel & Hagen, 2002).…”

Effects of alcohol on the processing of social threat‐related stimuli in socially phobic women

“…On the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire socially‐phobic participants reported that they expected more tension‐reduction and regulation of negative mood and more enhanced socio‐emotional functioning due to alcohol than the control group. Finally, all participants filled out the German version of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test for father and mother (Demmel & Hagen, 2002b). Based on the cut‐off score of 6 as suggested by Demmel and Hagen (2002b), the percentage of participants with at least one parent with alcohol problems was calculated.…”

“…Finally, all participants filled out the German version of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test for father and mother (Demmel & Hagen, 2002b). Based on the cut‐off score of 6 as suggested by Demmel and Hagen (2002b), the percentage of participants with at least one parent with alcohol problems was calculated.…”

Effects of alcohol on ratings of emotional facial expressions in social phobics

“…Further instruments were general measures of psychopathology (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI, Hautzinger, Bailer, Worall, & Keller, 1994; Anxiety sensitivity index, ASI, Ehlers, 1986) and an alcohol expectancy questionnaire (AEQ, Demmel & Hagen, 2003). Finally, all participants filled out the short Michigan alcoholism screening test for father and mother (Demmel & Hagen, 2002). Based on the cut-off score of 6, the percentage of participants with at least one parent with alcohol problems was calculated.…”