Validity of Alcoholics' Self-Reports: Duration Data

Author(s)

A. Mitch Cooper, Community Mental Health Center of Escambia CountyFollow
Mark B. Sobell, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Linda C. Sobell, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Stephen A. Maisto, Vanderbilt University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1981

Publication Title

The International Journal of Addictions

Volume

16

Issue/Number

3

First Page

401

ISSN

1082-6084

Last Page

406

Abstract/Excerpt

The validity of alcohol abusers' self-reports of the number of days associated with alcohol-related incarcerations and hospitalizations was investigated using a recently developed time-line follow-back interviewing technique. It was felt that duration data (number of days per occurrence) would be more sensitve than incidence data (number of occurrences) to certain types of invalidity. Results indicated that the majority of both residential and outpatient subjects provided relatively accurate self-reports of the number of days they had been incarcerated during the 360 days preceding their entry into treatment. Discrepancies most frequently resulted from subjects overreporting days incarcerated as compared with official records.

DOI

10.3109/10826088109038841

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7705-3993

NSUWorks Citation

Cooper, A. M., Sobell, M. B., Sobell, L. C., Maisto, S. A. (1981). Validity of Alcoholics' Self-Reports: Duration Data. The International Journal of Addictions, 16(3), 401-406.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/50