Standardized Questionnaire A-Test
How the Scales are Structured
Who Usually Takes This Test?
See How You Compare
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.
Example Questions From the Test
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
Standardized Questionnaire A-Test - Description and methodology of the test
People who want a structured look at alcohol-related experiences may use the Standardized Questionnaire A-Test to consider whether craving, loss of control, or consequences are showing up in their lives. This questionnaire functions as an alcohol craving assessment, organizing relevant responses around craving, loss of control, and consequences for self-reflection, especially when drinking changes with mood, conflict, or attempts to cut back. The result highlights patterns that can guide further reflection.
What This Assessment Explores
The assessment suits people who want to examine their own alcohol-related experiences and notice patterns that may be difficult to see in isolation. The format functions as an alcohol use questionnaire, bringing together drinking after distress, changes in tolerance, impaired control, memory problems, relationship strain, and possible withdrawal-related experiences.
These response themes represent situations covered by the items:
- Emotional drinking shows whether alcohol is used after upset, conflict, or hardship.
- Control and persistence indicate whether urges override limits or plans to stop.
- Consequences reflect guilt, memory lapses, and disruption in work or relationships.
- Tolerance and withdrawal signs capture changed reactions, morning shakes, fear, or unusual perceptions.
The themes are not separate measured dimensions. They show situations represented in the items, while the single total and its band indicate overall reported alcohol-craving severity. Endorsed themes can support personal reflection about where drinking-related concern feels most prominent.
Methodology and Evidence Base
The response format makes it a drinking behavior questionnaire: all items use yes-or-no answers, and the total reflects the number of affirmative responses; no additional item weighting is stated.
The displayed scale is Alcohol Craving Severity (0-26), defined as alcohol-craving severity based on affirmative responses. Its result bands are Moderate / Norm 0-8, Elevated Craving 9-21, and Very High Craving 22-26. Scores above 8 indicate developing craving, while scores above 21 indicate pathological craving.
Its themes are conceptually consistent with the A-test discussed in Nikiforov's volume and with Edwards and Gross's (1976) alcohol-dependence framework, particularly impaired control, tolerance, withdrawal-related phenomena, and social or psychological consequences.
Current mood, memory accuracy, self-awareness, and willingness to disclose can affect responses, especially on questions about regret, interpersonal problems, and unusual perceptions. The bands describe reported alcohol-craving severity rather than establish a clinical diagnosis; interpretation should consider the endorsed themes and the respondent's current context.
- Nikiforov, G. S. (ed.). Diagnostics of Health: Psychological Workshop. St. Petersburg: Rech, 2007.
- Edwards, G., and Gross, M. M. (1976). Alcohol dependence: provisional description of a clinical syndrome. British Medical Journal, 1(6017), 1058-1061. 10.1136/bmj.1.6017.1058.
- Makhnach, A. V., Prikhozhan, A. M., and Tolstykh, N. N. Psychological Assessment of Candidates for Foster Parents: A Practical Guide. Moscow: Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2013. ISBN 978-5-9270-0270-2.
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