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Measurement of alcohol craving

2012; Elsevier BV; Volume: 38; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.08.004

1873-6327

David J. Kavanagh, Dixie J. Statham, Gerald F.X. Feeney, Ross McD. Young, Jon May, Jackie Andrade, Jason P. Connor,

Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Despite considerable research activity and application in treatment, the construct of craving remains poorly understood.We propose that cravings and urges are cognitive--emotional events in time, characterised by frequency, duration, intensity and salience.Commonly used measures of alcohol craving are reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses identified.Most measures confound craving with behaviors, or with separable cognitive phenomena such as expectancies, intentions, or perceived behavioral control.These confounds have limited our advances in understanding the determinants and consequences of craving.Based on the criteria applied in this review, among the better performing multi--item measures are the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale and Obsessive subscale of the Obsessive--Compulsive Drinking Scale.Optimal assessment strategies are likely to involve daily assessments of peak intensity of cravings, desires or urges and of the frequency and duration of craving episodes.Of particular interest are measures of intensity at times when individuals are at risk of drinking or of other functional impacts from craving. HighlightsDistinction of craving from associated but separable phenomena such as intentions, plans, self--efficacy and perceived control.A focus on desires and urges for alcohol as cognitive--emotional events, characterised by frequency, duration and intensity.A critical review of theoretical and psychometric characteristics of existing measures of alcohol craving.A recommended focus on peak cravings, desires or urges, and on their frequency and duration, using daily measures or assessments in high--risk situations.