Alcohol expectancies were generated from the adolescent (< age 18) and adult (≥ 18) forms of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ) that records the person’s beliefs about how alcohol affects people (Goldman, 2002). The adolescent version uses true/false scoring, while the adult form rates items from 1 (disagree strongly) to 5 (agree strongly). Scores were extracted for AEQ subscales we have found to be most closely related to alcohol problems (Schuckit et al, 2009, 2011), including Global expectancies (e.g., “drinking makes the future look brighter”), Social Behavioral/Assertiveness expectancies (e.g., “a few drinks make it easier to talk to people”), and expected Relaxation effects of alcohol (e.g., “alcohol decreases muscle tension”). Adolescent and adult results were combined using z-scored values.
