Reclassifying DIS-III-R alcohol use disorders to DSM-IV criteria in a sample of convicted impaired drivers.
OBJECTIVE
This study used data gathered from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version Three, Revised (DIS-III-R), which calculated diagnoses based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised (DSM-III-R), criteria and rescored the data to be compatible with the criteria of the Fourth Edition of the DSM (DSM-IV) for lifetime alcohol abuse and dependence.


METHODS
A psychologist reassigned questions from the DIS-III-R according to DSM-IV criteria. Another clinician evaluated the rescoring criteria and discrepancies were discussed and resolved. Using these criteria, SAS code was written to automate the rescoring of responses to DIS-III-R questions to DSM-IV diagnoses from a population of DWI offenders.


RESULTS
There was a fair-to-good level of agreement between the DSM-III-R and rescored DSM-IV diagnoses (kappa = .65). Three hundred forty-eight subjects classified as alcohol dependent using DSMIII- R were reclassified as alcohol abuse in the DSM-IV rescore. Among subjects who were alcohol dependent based on DIS-III-R criteria, the distribution of DSM-IV diagnoses was similar across gender, age, and ethnic groups. There was no difference in agreement between DSMIII- R and the rescored DSM-IV diagnoses by age category. However, women and Hispanics had significantly higher weighted kappa statistics than men and non-Hispanic whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Our rescoring results were consistent with earlier studies that compared DSM-III-R and DSM-IV diagnoses. Here, we offer an approach that may be useful to investigators who used the DIS-III-R in earlier studies. The DIS-III-R questions corresponding to DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are on our Web site at www.bhrcs.org, along with the scoring algorithm.
C'de Baca
Janet
J
Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest, 612 Encino Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA. jcdebaca@bhrcs.org
McMillan
Garnett P
GP
Lapham
Sandra C
SC
D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male