IRT analysis of the 11 DSM-5 criteria in the cross-sectional cohort revealed that failure to fulfill major role obligations because of drinking, drinking despite physical/psychological problems, giving up/reducing important activities, withdrawal, craving, and spending a great deal of time drinking represented more severe criteria, indexing greater risk (Figure 1 and eTable 1 in Supplement 1). Endorsement of these 6 high-severity criteria differed considerably across criterion count–based severity groups (single criterion, mild, moderate, and severe AUD). For instance, withdrawal was endorsed by 4.2% of individuals with mild-to-moderate AUD and, in contrast, by 68.3% of those with severe AUD. As expected, individuals with mild AUD were less likely to endorse high-risk criteria (eg, 1.3% endorsing withdrawal) compared with those with moderate AUD (eg, 9.0% endorsing withdrawal).
