A Comparison of Actual and Perceived Problem Drinking Among Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Offenders‪.‬

ABSTRACT Problem drinkers account for a large proportion of those convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Nevertheless, specific rates of problem drinking among D WI offenders have been shown to exhibit wide variability. Therefore, we seek to (a) present the rate and severity of problem drinking among a sample of DWI offenders, (b) contrast offender-perceived proportion of problem drinking against two separate indicators of problem drinking, and (c) determine demographic characteristics affecting the likelihood an offender would self-identify as a problem drinker. The sample consisted of DWI offenders (n=199) participating in a court-mandated education program. Results highlight a significant discrepancy between DWI offenders "perceptions of their drinking problems, compared to other, more objective measures. The objective measures revealed that offenders were much more likely to be problem drinkers than shown by self-ratings. These stark differences highlight potential focus/refinement areas for DWI rehabilitative programs.