It is noteworthy that the close correlation between severity ranking and outcome values was not maintained after adjusting for other criteria endorsed. This makes an important point, which is that AUD severity is not so much a criterion attribute, per se, but rather more an attribute of the individuals who endorse any given criterion. That is, the severity associated with criteria such as failure to fulfill role obligations and important activities given up in favor of drinking reflects the fact that the individuals endorsing those criteria also endorsed many other criteria, i.e., that they had a wide range of alcohol-related problems. In light of this, it is not surprising that an AUD severity scale in which the count of endorsed criteria was weighted by the relative severity of each was no more highly correlated with the outcomes than a scale based on a simple, unweighted count of positive criteria – a finding that represents good news for clinicians, in that the latter is far simpler to calculate in settings where the need for treatment or intervention is evaluated.
