A psychometric evaluation of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence in PTSD smokers

Abstract

Rates of smoking among individuals with psychiatric conditions are greater than rates seen in the general population, yet little is known about the psychometric properties of commonly used nicotine dependence instruments among psychiatric smokers. This study examined the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) among psychiatric smokers. Results revealed that the FTND had good test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. A factor-analytic examination converged on a two-factor solution, reflecting two correlated but separate processes related to nicotine dependence. In total, the results revealed that the FTND performs as well--from a psychometric perspective--with psychiatric smokers, as it does with nonpsychiatric smokers.