How Adolescents Think When Responding to Alcohol-Related Questionnaires: A Think-Aloud Study

Abstract

Self-report questionnaires on alcohol use are commonly used in both research and in clinical work with adolescents, but little is known about how adolescent responders perceive and interpret them. This study explores how adolescents think while responding to two alcohol-related questionnaires. It also investigates whether the instruments can initiate self-reflective processes on alcohol use. Data were collected among adolescents visiting a center for young people with substance use problems in Sweden. The participants found the questionnaires easy to complete and widely relevant, and the questionnaires commonly initiated a process of self-reflection. Results support the use in clinical settings.