Drinking-Related Assessment Instruments: Cross-Cultural Studies

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Abstract
In recent years a number of drinking-related assessment instruments have undergone extensive developmental work and are in widespread use. These include measures that are designed to assess: 1) patterns of alcohol consumption, Timeline Followback Method (TLFB); and 2) antecedents to alcohol use, Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS)— two constructs that would be expected to be sensitive to cross-cultural variability in drinking practices. These assessment tools present opportunities for the study of cross-cultural differences in drinking patterns and the circumstances under which drinking occurs. A World Health Organization project utilizing these assessment tools is currently underway in five countries (Australia, Canada, Mexico, Poland, and Sweden). This project focuses on the identification of profile differences between cultures in drinking patterns and antecedents to drinking among clients seeking outpatient treatment, while at the same time establishing reliability and validity information within cultures on the application of the TLFB and IDS assessment procedures. [Translations are provided in the International Abstracts Section of this issue.]