Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale
Abstract Self-report questionnaires must be psychometrically sound, but also brief and efficient to avoid participant nonresponse and fatigue, especially in the health and prevention sciences. Meta-heuristics such as the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm overcome limitations of the traditional...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12087-3 |
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| author | Anne Moehring Christian Meyer Ulrich John Hans-Juergen Rumpf Gallus Bischof Jennis Freyer-Adam Sophie Baumann Andreas Staudt |
| author_facet | Anne Moehring Christian Meyer Ulrich John Hans-Juergen Rumpf Gallus Bischof Jennis Freyer-Adam Sophie Baumann Andreas Staudt |
| author_sort | Anne Moehring |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Self-report questionnaires must be psychometrically sound, but also brief and efficient to avoid participant nonresponse and fatigue, especially in the health and prevention sciences. Meta-heuristics such as the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm overcome limitations of the traditional stepwise approach of selecting items based on few or a single statistical criterion. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the use of the ACO algorithm by constructing a short version of the German Alcohol Decisional Balance Scale (ADBS). Self-report data from three studies (N = 1,834; 19% women; mean age = 31.4 years) was used that proactively recruited alcohol consumers from the general population and general hospitals in Germany. All participants rated the perceived importance of different pros and cons in their decision to drink alcohol (decisional balance) on a 5-point Likert scale. Optimizing different model fit indices and theoretical considerations simultaneously, the ACO algorithm produced a psychometrically valid and reliable 10-item short scale that was superior to the 26-item full ADBS scale and an already established 10-item short version of the ADBS with respect to the a priori defined optimization criteria. The paper provides a customizable R syntax for building reliable, valid, and theoretically well-founded short scales. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bd69f7ae908a4e1e99556dfd3bcba6b5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-bd69f7ae908a4e1e99556dfd3bcba6b52025-08-20T03:42:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-12087-3Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scaleAnne Moehring0Christian Meyer1Ulrich John2Hans-Juergen Rumpf3Gallus Bischof4Jennis Freyer-Adam5Sophie Baumann6Andreas Staudt7Department of Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University Medicine GreifswaldDZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research)DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research)Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group S:TEP, University of LuebeckDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group S:TEP, University of LuebeckDZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research)Department of Methods in Community Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University Medicine GreifswaldInstitute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Technische University DresdenAbstract Self-report questionnaires must be psychometrically sound, but also brief and efficient to avoid participant nonresponse and fatigue, especially in the health and prevention sciences. Meta-heuristics such as the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm overcome limitations of the traditional stepwise approach of selecting items based on few or a single statistical criterion. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the use of the ACO algorithm by constructing a short version of the German Alcohol Decisional Balance Scale (ADBS). Self-report data from three studies (N = 1,834; 19% women; mean age = 31.4 years) was used that proactively recruited alcohol consumers from the general population and general hospitals in Germany. All participants rated the perceived importance of different pros and cons in their decision to drink alcohol (decisional balance) on a 5-point Likert scale. Optimizing different model fit indices and theoretical considerations simultaneously, the ACO algorithm produced a psychometrically valid and reliable 10-item short scale that was superior to the 26-item full ADBS scale and an already established 10-item short version of the ADBS with respect to the a priori defined optimization criteria. The paper provides a customizable R syntax for building reliable, valid, and theoretically well-founded short scales.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12087-3Short scale constructionAnt colony optimization algorithmDecisional balanceReliabilityValidity |
| spellingShingle | Anne Moehring Christian Meyer Ulrich John Hans-Juergen Rumpf Gallus Bischof Jennis Freyer-Adam Sophie Baumann Andreas Staudt Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale Scientific Reports Short scale construction Ant colony optimization algorithm Decisional balance Reliability Validity |
| title | Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale |
| title_full | Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale |
| title_fullStr | Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale |
| title_short | Application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the German alcohol decisional balance scale |
| title_sort | application of the ant colony optimization algorithm for the construction of a short version of the german alcohol decisional balance scale |
| topic | Short scale construction Ant colony optimization algorithm Decisional balance Reliability Validity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12087-3 |
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