Monitoring the Future Survey – Binge Drinking and Alcohol Use Items (MTF)
Measures the frequency of alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and inhalant use among adolescents and young adults.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Monitoring the Future Survey – Binge Drinking and Alcohol Use Items (MTF) was developed by Johnston, L.D., O’Malley, P.M., & Bachman, J.G. (2001). It is designed to measure Alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and inhalant use. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and young adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Alcohol Use, Binge Drinking, Inhalant Use.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Use | 1,2,4,6 | 4 |
| Binge Drinking | 3 | 1 |
| Inhalant Use | 5 | 1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = None / 0 occasions, 2 = Once / 1-2 occasions, 3 = Twice / 3-5 occasions, 4 = 3 to 5 times / 6-9 occasions, 5 = 6 to 9 times / 10-19 occasions, 6 = 10 or more times / 20-39 occasions, 7 = 40 or more occasions.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- No reported use: 0 – 0
- Reported substance use (frequency varies by item): 1 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.