Measuring Alcohol Use-Related Shame and Guilt: Development and Validation of the Perceptions of Drinking Scale. (3rd February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Treeby, Matt S.; Rice, Simon M.; Wilson, Michael; Prado, Catherine E.; Bruno, Raimondo
• Is Part Of: Substance use & misuse. Volume 55:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 441
• Page End: 451
• Publication Date: 2020-02-03
• Subjects: Alcohol -- guilt -- shame -- harm -- alcohol use disorder; Narcotic habit -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Sustance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 362.2905
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2019.1683203
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1082-6084

Abstract

Abstract: Background : The dispositional tendency to experience guilt is inversely related to disordered alcohol use, while dispositional shame-proneness appears to share a positive relationship with alcohol problems. Objective : In order to further research in this domain, a new measure of alcohol use-related shame and guilt is described. Methods : Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Drinking Scale (PODS) were validated across two independent samples (Sample 1 N = 293, Sample 2 N = 429). Results : A four factor model of the PODS was identified in exploratory factor analysis. The hypothesized four-factor PODS model was validated in an independent sample using CFA (RMSEA = .046; CFI = .99; TLI = .99). Alcohol use-related shame and guilt were reliably differentiated, and test re-test stability, divergent and convergent validity was established. Alcohol use-related shame was not clearly related to taking action to address problematic alcohol use, but was positively related with measures of negative affect and using avoidance-based coping strategies. Conversely, alcohol use-related guilt was generally unrelated to measures of negative affect and was clearly associated with the taking of action to address problematic alcohol use. Conclusions : The Perceptions of Drinking Scale has good psychometric properties and also appears to reliably distinguish between experiences of alcohol use-related shame and guilt. Both alcohol use-related shame and guilt appear to be positively associated with the contemplation of changing one's alcohol use-related behaviors. Only alcohol use-related guilt was clearly linked to the taking of action to address problematic drinking behavior.