CAGE Questionnaire – Problem Drinking Scale
A brief screening instrument designed to detect potential alcohol abuse and dependence.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The CAGE Questionnaire – Problem Drinking Scale was developed by John A. Ewing (1984). It is designed to measure Alcohol abuse screening. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 4 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low risk of alcohol dependency: 0 – 1
- High risk of alcohol dependency: 2 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha ranges from .42 to .67 depending on demographic subgroup.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 1 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.