The Temptation and Restraint Inventory for measuring drinking restraint

Abstract

In the present study, the measurement of drinking restraint was broadened by developing new items that better characterized its cognitive nature as well as by testing a factor structure which represents restraint as including both the regulation and the failure to regulate alcohol intake. A previously observed (Collins, George & Lapp, 1989) three-component structure of the Restrained Drinking Scale (RDS; Ruderman & McKirnan, 1984) was confirmed. In addition, two factors were extracted from the new set of cognitive items, which when combined with the RDS clusters formed a new measure of drinking restraint, the Temptation and Restraint Inventory (TRI). The factor structure of the TRI matched the conceptualization of drinking restraint as involving successful and unsuccessful regulation of alcohol intake, and differentially predicted self-reported weekly consumption and alcohol-related problems.