Assessing tobacco dependence: A guide to measure evaluation and selection

Tobacco dependence is a key construct in tobacco research. This paper describes a construct validation approach to dependence assessment and describes key conceptual and psychometric criteria on which to evaluate putative measures of dependence. Five current dependence scales - the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence; the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.); the Cigarette Dependence Scale; the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale; and the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives - are examined with respect to these critical dimensions. Recommendations are made regarding the use of each measure.