Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Craving Experience Questionnaire for alcohol

Abstract

The Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) is a scale that assesses the cognitive aspects of craving, specifically in terms of frequency and intensity. We examined the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the CEQ for alcohol craving. A total of 300 adults who consume alcohol at least once a month participated in the web-based study. The factor analysis of the frequency and intensity scales revealed a three-factor structure, which was consistent with those of the original scale. The subscales of the frequency scale showed moderate to high correlations with the scales pertaining to problematic alcohol consumption (i.e., OCDS and AUDIT). The higher scores observed in the craving-induction group relative to the no-induction group provide evidence to support the construct validity of the intensity scale. Following a three-week period, each subscale of the frequency scale demonstrated high intraclass correlation coefficients, except for the frequency subscale. These findings suggest that the Japanese version of the CEQ has satisfactory reliability and validity, although the problem of test-retest reliability remains.