Chunk #6 — Measurement invariance of DSM-IV alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine dependence between community-sampled and clinically over-selected studies — The current study
In the current analyses, we examine three questions relevant to the conceptualization of substance dependence criteria across multiple substances, in the context of comparing different substances across sexes and type of sample. First, we test whether a hierarchical model adequately describes substance dependence criteria for alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine, where substance dependence symptoms (as well as ever use of each substance) are indicators of individual substance factors, which in turn are indicators of a multi-substance dependence factor. Second, we examine whether this model demonstrates similar model-fit properties when comparing males and females in two independent studies, designed as either community-sampled or clinically over-selected for substance dependence. Finally, we test whether differences between samples can be solely attributed to mean differences in a multi-substance dependence latent trait rather than differing factor structures or substance-specific differences.
