PSYCHIATRY * P61 * DIMENSIONS AND CATEGORIES OF DSM V CRITERIA IN AN INTERNATIONAL SAMPLE OF DRINKING SUBJECTS AND INPATIENT ALCOHOL-DEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

DSM V-criteria of the diagnostic category alcohol use disorder have been proposed. Eleven criteria have been proposed which try to overcome some of the limitations of the DSM IV distinction between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. The aims of the analyses of two samples are: to confirm the dimensionality of DSM V criteria and to determine a potential diagnostic threshold and severity of an alcohol use disorder. This analysis takes advantage of the WHO/ISBRA Study on State and Trait Markers of Alcohol Use and Dependence data set. Subjects included into the analyses (n = 1424) were aged 18 and over were recruited in five countries: Australia (Sydney), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Canada (Montreal), Finland (Helsinki) and Japan (Sapporo). All DSM V criteria were determined in this sample by a structured interview. The CIGAR (Collaborative Initiative on Genetics in Alcoholism in CentRal Europe) sample of inpatient alcohol-dependent individuals from Germany was used to determine DSM V symptom severity (n = 635). Again, DSM V criteria were obtained using structured interviews (SSAGA, CIDI/DIA-X). The results indicate that dimensionality of DSM V alcohol use disorder criteria can be confirmed by IRT (Item Response Theory) statistics. However, using the criteria, a diagnostic threshold to distinguish between the presence or absence of the disorder is difficult to determine. Furthermore, a proposal is made, how alcohol use disorder severity can be defined by DSM V clinical symptoms and this proposal can be confirmed using a number of external validitors (e. g. comorbidity with mental disorders, alcohol consumption markers, suicidal behavior and rate of genetic risk variants).