Validación de Mediciones Retrospectivas del Consumo de Alcohol Mediante Diarios de Consumo

The present study aimed to analyze the correspondence between estimates of alcohol consumption obtained through retrospective measurements (Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire—ACQ—) and an Alcohol Consumption Diary. A sample of 134 young people (M age = 23.31 years, SD = 3.18) from Cordoba, Argentina, reported their alcohol consumption daily over a 60-day period. At the end of the first and second month, the participants completed the ACQ, which measures alcohol use retrospectively during the last 30 and 60 days. The participants also completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire. Data collection was done through online surveys, so the sample was non-probabilistic (i.e., a convenience sample). The correlation between estimates obtained through the Alcohol Consumption Diary and those obtained retrospectively (ACQ) was examined. Overall, these estimates were found to be strongly correlated. The correlations between estimates of quantity (≥ 0.75), usual frequency (≥ 0.64), and frequency of consumption until drunkenness (≥ 0.74) had a large effect size for both the first- and second-month data. The greatest correspondence was found between estimates of usual quantity (0.77). This study provides evidence on the validity of retrospective estimates of alcohol consumption while also emphasizing the importance of using indicators of usual and hazardous alcohol consumption in recent time periods.