Psychometric Evaluation of the Short Form Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS-42) in a Community-Recruited Sample of Substance-Abusing Women

Purpose. We investigated the psychometric properties (factor structure, internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity) of the Short Form Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS-42) in women substance abusers.

Methods. A sample of 297 substance-abusing women was recruited from the community. The women completed the IDS-42 and the three-factor Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ).

Results. Confirmatory factor analyses of IDS-42 items suggested a hierarchical structure for the scale. Eight factors (corresponding to Marlatt and Gordon's eight heavy drinking situations) provided the best model fit at the lower-order level, and three factors (i.e., Negatively Reinforcing vs. Positively Reinforcing vs. Temptation Situations) provided the best model fit at the higher-order level. Lower- and higher-order IDS-42 subscales were shown to possess adequate-to-high levels of internal consistency. The eight lower-order IDS-42 factors demonstrated excellent concurrent validity with conceptually similar DMQ subscale scores. Across the entire sample of female substance abusers, a higher frequency of heavy drinking was reported in Positively Reinforcing Situations and Unpleasant Emotions Situations, as compared to other heavy drinking situations.

Implications. Results support the IDS-42's good psychometric properties and demonstrate its utility as a tool in identifying situation-specific antecedents to heavy drinking among women substance abusers.