Comparing the ICAS and the MAC as Indirect Alcoholism Scales: methodological considerations and implications for further research.

Four groups of domiciliary residents were studied with the Institutionalized Chronic Alcoholic Scale (ICAS) and MacAndrew Scale (MAC) to determine the more effective indirect alcoholism scale. The groups included: (a) 48 alcoholics, (b) 27 residents with alcoholism and other psychiatric diagnoses, (c) 24 residents with psychiatric diagnoses only, and (d) 22 with only medical diagnoses. MacAndrew had omitted two alcohol usage items from the 51 item MAC in order to develop a more effective indirect scale, free of alcohol usage items. A similar omission technique was employed with the ICAS in the current study. ANOVA indicated that the MAC was the more effective indirect scale.