Alcoholism :the development of a diagnostic text designed to identify the problem drinker and alcoholic inmate

Purpose: the purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid testing instrument that would diagnostically locate and identify problem drinkers and alcoholics within a prison inmate population. The basis for this research resulted from a study conducted in 1970 on inmate recividism. It was found that inmate opinion stressed that a great number of men return to prison because of drinking and that there was insufficient procedures for identifying those inmates who possess problems related to the consumption of alcohol. Methods: The theoretical model utilized in the construction of the testing instrument was Dr. E. E. Jellinek’s four progressive phases of alcoholic addiction. Two major areas of consideration were explored in conjunction with the development of the testing instrument: validity and reliability. From the symptomatologies of the pre-alcoholic symptomatic phase, prodromal phase, crucial phase and chronic phase, 104 diagnostic questions were developed. Face validity for the instrument was established by submitting the instrument to a panel of professional people versed in testing and test construction. Sixty-nine questions were retained and formed he diagnostic portion of the testing instrument. An additional 31 questions were also constructed to strengthen the utilization of the test. These questions, composed of personal fact-gathering and inmate opinion type questions, were added to further provide insight about the inmate. The second area of concern, that of reliability, received the major focus of attention in this study. The following hypotheses were constructed to facilitate this effort: 1. There will be a significant difference in score frequencies between the alcohol problem present group’s test and retest. 2. There will be a significant difference between the alcohol problem present group’s mean score of positive responses and the alcohol problem absent group’s mean score of positive responses. Two subject samples consisting of 100 inmates each were tested. The first group of men consisted of past or present participants in Alcoholics Anonymous and were termed the “alcohol problem present group.” The second subject sample consisted of general population inmates who had never been participants in the Alcoholics Anonymous program and who on occasion had ingested alcoholic beverages. This second group was termed the “alcohol problem absent group.” Three statistical analyses were employed with the intent being they would either statistically support or reject the hypotheses. Two “2 by 2” chi-square analyses were computed to establish if there was or was not a significant change in responses between test and retest of the alcohol problem present group. The first chi square analysis dealt with the item by item total frequency of “no” and “yes” responses to the 69 test questions. The second chi square analysis analyzed the total “no” and “yes” responses for test-retest of the 100 inmates comprising the alcohol problem present group. The second hypothesis was analyzed by utilizing a t-test. It was employed to determine if the mean score of “yes” responses for the alcohol problem [resent group differed significantly from the mean score of “yes” responses for the alcohol problem absent group. In addition a scoring system was developed, as well as response sheets, instructions for the administration of the test, and overlay templets to assist in the scoring procedure. Findings: As a result of the two chi square analyses the first hypothesis was rejected. There was not a significant difference in score frequencies between the alcohol problem present group’s test and retest. This finding tends to indicate the consistency with which the alcohol problem present group answered the items on a test-retest basis. The second hypothesis was not rejected. There was a significant difference between the positive responses of the alcohol problem present group and the alcohol problem absent group.