Taxometric analysis of alcohol dependence in male prisoners: Measuring latent structure with indicators from DSM-IV

Abstract

This study assessed the latent structure of alcohol dependence using indicators from a structured interview (DSM-IV alcohol dependence criteria) in a group of 505 male inmates consecutively admitted to a medium security federal correctional institution over a 9-month period. Three indicators derived from the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence were subjected to taxometric analysis using the following three procedures: traditional and summed input mean above minus below a cut, traditional maximum covariance, and latent mode factor analysis. Results showed consistent support for taxonic (categorical) latent structure in the alcohol dependence construct.

• Alcohol dependence
• taxometrics
• latent structure
• structured interview
• self-report