Psychometric Properties of the Person-Centered Version of the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perceptions Questionnaire (PC-AAPPQ)

• Published in: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford) Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 652 - 659
• Main Authors: Mahmoud, Khadejah F, Terhorst, Lauren, Lindsay, Dawn, Brager, Jenna, Rodney, Tamar, Sanchez, Michael, Hansen, Bryan R, Savage, Christine L, Seale, J Paul, Mitchell, Ann M, Johnson, J Aaron, Finnell, Deborah S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.10.2020
• ISSN: 0735-0414; 1464-3502
• DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa061

Abstract Aims Given the importance of addressing provider attitudes toward individuals with unhealthy alcohol use and the current emphasis on person-centered language to help decrease stigma and mitigate negative attitudes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a contemporary version of the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (AAPPQ) that uses person-centered language and addresses the spectrum of alcohol use. Methods The authors created a person-centered version of the AAPPQ (PC-AAPPQ) and conducted a cross-sectional study of its psychometric properties in academic settings in the Northeastern United States. The PC-AAPPQ was administered to 651 nursing students. Reliability analysis of the new instrument was performed using the total sample. Only surveys with complete data (n = 637) were randomly split into two datasets, one used for the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n = 310) and the other for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n = 327). Results Compared to all the models generated from the EFA, neither the original six-factor structure nor the five-factor structure was superior to any of the other models. The results indicate that a seven-factor structure with all 30 items is the best fit for the PC-AAPPQ. Conclusions The PC-AAPPQ represents a positive effort to modernize the four-decade-old AAPPQ. This 30-item instrument, which adds one additional subscale, offers a means to assess providers’ attitudes using respectful wording that avoids perpetuating negative biases and reinforces efforts to affirm the worth and dignity of the population being treated.