Profiles of the alcohol use inventory: A large sample cluster analysis conducted with split-sample replication rules

The 15 primary (nonmarital) subscales of the Alcohol Use Inventory (AUI; J.L. Horn, K.H. Wanberg, and F. M. Foster, 1990) were cluster analyzed in a sample of 1,460 individuals with alcoholism. The dataset was split randomly into 4 subsamples, and each was subjected to a hierarchical cluster analysis. A higher order cluster analysis then was performed, and replication of different cluster solutions across subsamples was assessed. Twelve reliable cluster profiles were identified. Profiles differed on demographic, personality, cognitive, and treatment compliance variables. Profile membership was predictive of posttreatment drinking intensity, and 2 cluster profiles interacted with treatment type differentially to affect outcome. The study is the largest and most comprehensive independent analysis of the AUI to date. The potential utility of these profiles for treatment planning is discussed.