Faculty Articles

Outpatient Alcoholics Give Valid Self-Reports

ORCID

0000-0001-7705-3993

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

ISSN

1002-0152

Publication Date

7-1975

Abstract

Thirty-nine male alcoholics in a voluntary outpatient treatment program were interviewed individually on two separate occasions about their social and drinking history. Critical test questions were identical for both interviews but embedded among different filler items. The validity of the subjects's self reports about both alcohol and nonalcohol-related questions was assessed through official records and documents. Self-reports of life history data provided by this group of outpatient alcoholics under specified interview procedures were highly reliable and valid. Differential item reliability and validity were obtained. Further, the value of using the technique of double interviews to predict valid and invalid self-reports is discussed. Suggestions for future research are offered.

DOI

10.1097/00005053-197507000-00004

Volume

161

Issue

1

First Page

32

Last Page

42

Find in your library

Share

COinS