Validation of the College Alcohol Problem Scale-revised (CAPS-r) for use with non-adjudicated first-year students.

Abstract: 

First-year students in transition to college are at increased risk for consuming greater amounts of alcohol and are subject to subsequent alcohol-related problems. The 8-item College Alcohol Problem Scale-revised (CAPS-r) has been used to measure alcohol-related problems in adjudicated undergraduates and psychology majors. However, structural validity of the CAPS-r has not been examined in a general first-year student population. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the structural validity of this two-factor model using LISREL 8.5. The original two-factor measurement model for the 8-item CAPS-r represented acceptable fit to the data (chi(2)=37.52, df=19, p=.007, CFI=.968, SRMR=.0449), supporting its use with first-year college students. Future studies need to examine invariance across ethnic, gender, and geographical groups.