Validity and reliability of Turkish version of Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ)

Aim Tobacco use is one of the leading risk factors among preventable diseases and deaths leading to many health problems. Despite the reduction throughout the last 15 years, about one-third of Turkey's population currently use tobacco products. Craving and the desire to use substances are effects that makes it harder for smokers to comply with treatment. For this reason, it is important to determine the desire for craving. The Craving Experience Questionnaire, developed by the Jon May et al, is used in international studies. There is no scale adapted to Turkish, which measures the both strength and frequency of craving. The aim of this study is to perform the adaption of Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) to Turkish and assess the validity and reliability of patients with smoking dependence. Method This is a metadological study. The Turkish version is prepared by translating and re-translating The Craving Experience Questionnaire. For validity and reliability study, 752 persons who applied to Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine Primary Health Care Centers and smokers were admitted to the research. The demographic data form, The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), The Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), The Substance Craving Scale (SCS) were administered as data collection tools. Reliability of the scale was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest method; validity is tested with construct validity and concurrent validity. Results The Craving Experience Questionnaire consists of two subscales which both contains 11 items. Each item is evaluated between 0-10 points. Factor analysis showed three dimensions for both scales. The concurrent validity is evaluated by the correlations of SCS - CEQ-Strength, SCS - CEQ-Frequency, FTND - CEQ-Strength, FTND - CEQ-Frequency. A weak and statistically significant correlation was found between the scales. Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be 0.89 for CEQ-Strength and 0.85 for CEQ-Frequency. The test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.89 for CEQ-Strength and 0.90 for CEQ-Frequency. Conclusion Turkish version of the CEQ is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to assess craving among smokers.