Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-Revised (DRSEQ-R)

Abstract

The Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-Revised (DRSEQ-R) is a widely utilized psychometric instrument developed by Oei, Hasking, and Young in 2005. It is specifically designed to assess an individual’s perceived ability, or self-efficacy, to resist drinking alcohol across a variety of challenging high-risk situations. The revision (DRSEQ-R) was introduced following a comprehensive evaluation of the original measure, focusing on establishing a robust, multi-dimensional factor structure using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The scale provides valuable insight into an individual’s confidence in handling social, emotional, and opportunistic triggers for alcohol consumption, making it a critical tool in prevention and relapse management research.

Keywords

Self-efficacy, Alcohol Misuse, Drinking Refusal, Questionnaire, Psychometrics, Addiction, Factor Analysis, Alcohol Dependence, Oei.

Authors

T. P. S. Oei, P. A. Hasking, R. M. Young.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the DRSEQ-R is to provide researchers and clinicians with a reliable and valid measure of drinking refusal self-efficacy. This construct is crucial in understanding the maintenance of sobriety and predicting relapse risk among individuals attempting to reduce or cease alcohol consumption. By identifying specific contexts—such as social pressure or negative emotional states—where self-efficacy is weakest, the instrument guides targeted intervention strategies.

The scale measures the confidence level an individual possesses in their capacity to refuse an alcoholic drink when faced with common high-risk scenarios. This focus on context-specific confidence makes the DRSEQ-R particularly valuable in clinical settings for assessing readiness for change and monitoring progress during treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Construct

The DRSEQ-R measures self-efficacy, defined by Albert Bandura as the belief in one’s capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. In the context of alcohol use, the construct focuses specifically on the perceived ability to refuse alcohol when confronted with situations that typically trigger drinking behavior. This psychological construct is highly predictive of behavioral outcomes, including initiation, maintenance, and relapse.

The revised structure typically organizes drinking refusal self-efficacy into distinct subscales, often reflecting the type of trigger: 1) Social Pressure (e.g., friends or partner drinking), 2) Emotional Coping (e.g., feeling angry or sad), and 3) Opportunistic/Habitual Situations (e.g., watching TV or commuting home). This multi-dimensional approach allows for nuanced assessment beyond a single global score of refusal confidence.

Validity

Studies examining the DRSEQ-R, particularly the foundational work by Oei, Hasking, and Young (2005), have demonstrated strong evidence of its construct validity. The revised factor structure, confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), showed superior fit compared to earlier versions, supporting the theoretical distinction between the subscales of self-efficacy and their differential roles in predicting drinking behavior.

Furthermore, the instrument exhibits good criterion validity, consistently correlating negatively with reported levels of alcohol consumption and positively with successful abstinence outcomes. Research involving various populations, including university students, has shown that DRSEQ-R scores predict drinking behavior independently of alcohol expectancies, reinforcing its unique predictive utility in the context of behavioral change related to alcohol dependence.

Reliability

The DRSEQ-R possesses high internal consistency, a key measure of reliability. Across various studies, the overall scale and its derived subscales typically demonstrate high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (often exceeding .80 or .90), indicating that the items within the scale measure the underlying construct cohesively. This statistical stability suggests the measure consistently assesses the individual’s perceived self-efficacy across different administrations and populations, making it a dependable tool for research.

Factor Analysis

The ‘Revised’ designation of the DRSEQ-R specifically relates to the rigorous application of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) conducted by Oei and colleagues in 2005. This analysis confirmed a new, more parsimonious, and theoretically sound factor structure compared to the original Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (DRSEQ).

The CFA typically supports a three-factor model: Emotional Refusal Self-Efficacy (confidence in refusing alcohol when experiencing negative emotions), Social Refusal Self-Efficacy (confidence in refusing alcohol under peer or social pressure), and Opportunistic Refusal Self-Efficacy (confidence in refusing alcohol in routine or non-emotional environmental settings). This refined structure enhanced the instrument’s ability to isolate specific vulnerabilities for targeted intervention.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale measuring contextual self-efficacy.

Format: 19 items measured on a 6-point Likert scale. The response format ranges from 1 (I would drink) to 6 (I am sure I would NOT drink).

Language Available: English is the primary language of validation; adaptations may exist for specific international studies (e.g., those involving Asian student populations).

Population Group: Individuals who consume alcohol, particularly those concerned with reducing or ceasing consumption, including clinical samples undergoing treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Age Group: Adults and older adolescents (used successfully in university student samples).

Population Details: Originally validated using clinical and non-clinical populations in Australia, and subsequently cross-validated in international samples, demonstrating robust generalizability.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their confidence in refusing a drink across 19 specific scenarios. Scores are typically summed or averaged within the identified subscales (Emotional, Social, Opportunistic) to provide dimensional measures of refusal confidence.

Keywords

CFA, Psychometric properties, Alcohol Use Disorder, Relapse Prevention, Likert Scale, 19-item, Confidence, Measurement, Self-Efficacy, Emotional Coping.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The test was first published in its revised form in 2005 (Oei, Hasking, & Young). As a standardized academic instrument, it is generally available for non-commercial research use provided the original authors and publication are properly cited.

The instrument itself can be found on page 125 of Michael Scherer’s 2010 thesis, “Forgiveness and the Bottle: Promoting Self-forgiveness with Alcohol Misuse.” The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3108&context=etd.

Reference’s

• Oei, T.P.S., Hasking, P.A., & Young, R.M. (2005). Drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire-revised (DRSEQ-R): A new factor structure with confirmatory factor analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 78, 297-307.

• Oei, T.P.S., & Jardim, C.L. (2007). Alcohol expectancies, drinking refusal self-efficacy and drinking behavior in Asian and Australian students. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 87, 281-287.

• Scherer, Michael. (2010). “Forgiveness and the Bottle: Promoting Self-forgiveness with Alcohol Misuse”. Virginia Commonwealth University. Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2109. Available online: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3108&context=etd.

Items of the Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-Revised (DRSEQ-R)

How sure are you that you would have an alcoholic drink when …

The 6-point scale response options are:

1. I would drink
2. I would probably drink
3. I might drink
4. I might NOT drink
5. I would probably NOT drink
6. I am sure I would NOT drink

• … you are out to dinner
• … you are offered a drink by someone
• … your spouse or partner is drinking
• … your friends are drinking
• … you are at a pub or club
• … you are angry
• … you feel frustrated
• … you are worried
• … you feel upset
• … you feel down
• … you feel nervous
• … you feel sad
• … you are watching T.V.
• … you are at lunch
• … you are on the way home from work
• … you are listening to music or reading
• … you are by yourself
• … you have just finished playing a sport
• … you have first arrived at home