The Yale Craving Scale: Development and psychometric properties

Abstract

Introduction The current study presents a psychometric evaluation of the Yale Craving Scale (YCS), a novel measure of craving for cigarettes and alcohol, respectively. The YCS is the first craving measure to use a generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) as the scoring format, which facilitates between-group comparisons of subjective craving and eliminates ceiling effects by assessing the full range of imaginable sensation intensities. Methods Psychometric evaluations of the YCS for use with cigarettes (YCS Smoking) and alcohol (YCS Drinking) included assessments of latent factor structure, internal consistency, ceiling effects, and test-criterion relationships. Study samples included 493 treatment-seeking smokers and 213 heavy drinkers. Results Factor analyses of the 5-item YCS Smoking and Drinking scores confirmed a 1-factor scale. The YCS Smoking and Drinking scores evidenced: (1) good internal consistency, (2) scalar measurement invariance within several subgroups (e.g., smoking/drinking status; nicotine/alcohol dependence), (3) convergent relationships with extant craving measures, and (4) concurrent relationships with smoking/drinking outcomes. Conclusions These results suggest that the YCS represents a psychometrically sound scale for assessing smoking and drinking urges in dependent populations.

Measuring craving: A systematic review and mapping of assessment instruments. What about sexual craving?

“…As indicated by Taylor in the field of food [12], each of these evaluation contexts has its own interests and limitations; the choice must therefore be made according to the objectives sought. For alcohol, we observed the same distinctions: the OCDS [108] and the PACS [172,173] seem to be more appropriate for a retrospective evaluation and better predictors of the results of a treatment; the YCS [157] is more precise in terms of retrospective collection contexts, and the AUQ [131] seems to be more suitable for real‐time assessment and more relevant for assessing reactivity to certain stimuli [136]. This refers to the conditioning‐based models [3], according to which craving corresponds to two forms [29,174]: endogenous or ‘tonic’ craving, which is constant throughout the day, and episodic or ‘phasic’ craving [175], occurring in spurts triggered by exposure to environmental or emotional stimuli associated by reinforcement with previous consumption: the cues [176].…”

“…Other instruments are hybrids, such as the Inhaling Craving Questionnaire [156], based on the MACS [147], and the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire [33] of the QSU family [27]. Finally, several instruments offer a measurement of the craving experience according to the context: temporal context, particular situations with cues exposure [Yale Craving Scale (YCS) [157], Lübeck Craving–Recurrence Risk Questionnaire [158], Voris Cocaine Scale (VCS) [159], Pictographic Assessment of Desire [68], Short Situational Urge to Smoke Scale [160], Set of Alcohol Cue Photographs [161] and the Mobile Phone Addiction Craving Scale [162]]. All these instruments have good reliability scores (αs > 0.70).…”

Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Real World Experience Post-FDA-Humanitarian Use Device Approval

“…For all five patients, the following scales were assessed before DBS surgery and at every programming session after implantation: the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCs), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Individual cases exhibited comorbidities that were assessed with relevant scales: Case 1, with a history of anorexia nervosa, assessed with Eating Disorder Examination 16.0 ( 19 ); Case 2, with a history of tic disorder, assessed with Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) ( 20 ); Case 4, had comorbid substance use which was assessed substance craving scales for cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol ( 21 ). Rating scale scores collected following DBS were compared to the pre-surgical baseline by computing the percent change.…”

Differences in the association between kappa opioid receptors and pain among Black and White adults with alcohol use disorders

“…Alcohol craving was assessed during the CPT session with the Yale Craving Scale at baseline (5 min prior to CPT) and every 30 s after the start of the CPT (Rojewski et al, 2015). Participants were trained on the use of the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) scale at relative pain recovery = pain rating last timepoint inside the water − pain rating 30 s later pain rating last timepoint inside the water .…”