PSYCHOMETRIC VALIDATION OF A BRIEF QUESTIONNAIRE ON PROBLEMATIC ENERGY DRINK CONSUMPTION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Introduction: Energy drink consumption among medical students is high and has been associated with cardiovascular disturbances, sleep problems, and risk behaviors. Valid psychometric instruments adapted to the university context are therefore needed. This study aimed to assess the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the General Addiction Questionnaire (EAG), adapted to energy drink consumption. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 257 medical students. The main variable was energy drink addiction, assessed using 11 dichotomous items (true/false). Multiple Correspondence Analysis was performed to explore the internal structure, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis within a structural equation modelling framework was used to corroborate the validity of the model. Results: The questionnaire showed a two-dimensional structure that explained 47.8% of the total variance. The first dimension, associated with loss of control and compulsive use, showed adequate internal consistency (α =. 799), whereas the second dimension, related to self-control and withdrawal, showed lower reliability (α =. 614). The fit indices confirmed good model performance (RMSEA =. 039; CFI =. 989; TLI =. 986). Conclusions: The adapted questionnaire showed acceptable validity and internal consistency, supporting its use as a brief and useful tool for detecting problematic energy drink consumption among medical students.