Measurement equivalence of the brief comprehensive effects of alcohol scale in a multiethnic sample of college students

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the measurement equivalence of the Brief Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol scale (B-CEOA; Ham et al., 2005)--a measure that assesses alcohol outcome expectancies (AOE) and expectancy evaluations-across ethnic groups and genders among multiethnic college student samples.

Method: Undergraduates provided self-report data in two multisite studies (Study 1: N = 1,536, 75.5% women, Mage = 19.6 years old, 56.4% European American, 9.8% African American, 7.6% Asian American, and 26.2% Hispanic/Latino American; Study 2: N = 7,767, 72.6% women, Mage = 19.8 years old, 63.3% European American, 7.9% African American, 14.3% Asian American, and 14.5% Hispanic/Latino American).

Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a positive and negative 4-factor model. Positive and negative AOE and expectancy evaluations were positively associated with hazardous alcohol use. Measurement equivalence of the B-CEOA across ethnicities and genders was largely supported.

Conclusions: This study provides support for the utility of the B-CEOA in college students of different ethnicities and genders in assessment and prevention.

Keywords: Alcohol outcome expectancies; college students; ethnicity; evaluations; gender; measurement.