The Evaluation of a Questionnaire Measuring Severity of Alcohol Dependence*

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the evaluation of the Hilton Drinking Behaviour Questionnaire (HDBQ), which is based on the proposition that although there are wide variations in the types of problems caused by alcohol abuse there are certain symptoms which are generally considered to indicate ‘alcoholism’. Also that there is an identifiable pattern of symptom development in the acquisition of dependence.The HDBQ proved to be a unidim.ensional scale which was valid and reliable as a m.easure of alcoholfsm, All items significantly discritninated between the alcoholic and control groups, and total scores correlated highly with those on the Alcadd test and with quantity-frequency measures of drinking. The theoretical and clinical implication of the results are discussed.