Is the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence invariant across secular trends in smoking? A question for cross-birth cohort analysis of nicotine dependence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), a derivation of the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire, was first published in 1991. The FTND remains one of the most widely used measures of nicotine dependence for studying genetic and epidemiological risk factors and the likelihood of smoking cessation. However, it is unclear whether secular trends in patterns of smoking alter the psychometric properties of the FTND and its interpretation.

Methods

We examined measurement invariance in the lifetime and current FTND scores across birth cohorts using participants drawn from six study samples (N = 13,775).

Results

We found significant (p < 0.05) measurement non-invariance in means and factor loadings of most FTND items by birth cohort, but effect sizes, ran

SUBMITTER: Glasheen C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5889733 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature