Associations between the Brief Assessment of Alcohol Demand (BAAD) questionnaire and alcohol use disorder severity in UK samples of student and community drinkers

Value based choice and compulsion theories of addiction offer distinct explanations for the persistence alcohol use despite harms. Choice theory argues that problematic drinkers ascribe such high value to costs are outweighed, whereas discount in decision making. The current study evaluated these predictions by testing whether disorder (AUD) symptom severity (indexed AUDIT) was more strongly associated with intensity item (maximum consumption if free, indexing value) compared breakpoint expenditure on a single drink, sensitivity monetary costs) Brief Assessment Alcohol Demand (BAAD) questionnaire, student (n = 579) community 120) drinkers. sample showed greater AUD than (p .004). In both samples, correlated (students, r 0.63; community, 0.47), but not −0.01; 0.12). Similarly, multiple regression analyses indicated independently (student, ΔR2 0.20, p < .001; 0.09, .001) 0.003, .118; 0.01, .294). There no difference between samples strength associations. ascribed may play important role discounting alcohol-associated (compulsivity), there is apparent contribution two mechanisms.