Evaluating Craving in Alcohol Use Disorder: Psychometric Characteristics of the Craving Typology Questionnaire-15 (CTQ-15)

• Published in: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford) Vol. 58; no. 2; pp. 142 - 150
• Main Authors: Martinotti, Giovanni, Festa, Giuseppe Manuel, Ceci, Franca, Di Muzio, Ilenia, Callea, Antonino, Capparelli, Ada, Bonifaci, Ludovica, Chillemi, Eleonora, Pepe, Maria, Pettorruso, Mauro, Chiappini, Stefania, Di Nicola, Marco, Janiri, Luigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 10.03.2023
• Subjects: Alcoholism; Craving; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Humans; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0735-0414; 1464-3502; 1464-3502
• DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agac051

Abstract Aims The Craving Typology Questionnaire (CTQ) is a psychometric instrument used to assess alcohol craving in normal controls and subjects with alcohol use disorder (AUD). It allows a dimensional self-rating assessment of craving according to a three-pathway psychobiological model of craving distinguishing craving into a reward, relief and obsessive component. The aim of the present study is to evaluate psychometric properties of the CTQ-15, a revised version of CTQ with 15 items. Methods The CTQ-15 was firstly administered to two groups of control subjects, one (414 subjects) used for the exploratory factor analysis and the other one (415 subjects) for the confirmatory factor analysis. A three-factor model was assessed and compared to alternative models. Results The resulting structure was in line with the original scale CTQ. Obsessive craving accounted for 15.20% of the total variance, relief craving for the 13.99% and reward craving for 13.13% of the total variance. The three-factor model (M1) reached good fit indices (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06 and SRMR = 0.05) and was significantly better than other alternative models. Reliability showed good internal consistency for each scale, i.e. obsessive craving (α = 0.92), relief craving (α = 0.82) and reward craving (α = 0.81). Conclusions The CTQ-15 proved to be reliable and practical for identifying the three dimensions of craving in clinical practice. Craving plays a crucial role in the mechanisms of dependence and relapse; thus, characterizing the craving can be fundamental to a targeted drug therapy.