title: Latent Class Analysis of DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder Criteria Among Heavy-Drinking College Students.
abstract: The DSM-5 has created significant changes in the definition of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Limited work has considered the impact of these changes in specific populations, such as heavy-drinking college students. Latent class analysis (LCA) is a person-centered approach that divides a population into mutually exclusive and exhaustive latent classes, based on observable indicator variables. The present research was designed to examine whether there were distinct classes of heavy-drinking college students who met DSM-5 criteria for an AUD and whether gender, perceived social norms, use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS), drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE), self-perceptions of drinking identity, psychological distress, and membership in a fraternity/sorority would be associated with class membership. Three-hundred and ninety-four college students who met DSM-5 criteria for an AUD were recruited from three different universities. Two distinct classes emerged: Less Severe (86%), the majority of whom endorsed both drinking more than intended and tolerance, as well as met criteria for a mild AUD; and More Severe (14%), the majority of whom endorsed at least half of the DSM-5 AUD criteria and met criteria for a severe AUD. Relative to the Less Severe class, membership in the More Severe class was negatively associated with DRSE and positively associated with self-identification as a drinker. There is a distinct class of heavy-drinking college students with a more severe AUD and for whom intervention content needs to be more focused and tailored. Clinical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 126 Heyne Bldg Ste 220, Houston, Texas 77204. Electronic address: dvrinker@uh.edu.
authors.forename: Dipali Venkataraman
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rinker
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 126 Heyne Bldg Ste 220, Houston, Texas 77204. Electronic address: cneighbors@uh.edu.
authors.forename: Clayton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neighbors
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000067292:Alcohol Drinking in College / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; College students; DSM-5; Latent class analysis