Psychometric properties of the Nicotine E-cigarette Withdrawal Scale for use with adults.

Abstract

Nicotine withdrawal promotes continued use and deters cessation efforts, making it an important target for research and intervention efforts. However, validated measures of e-cigarette withdrawal were absent until the recent addition of the retrospective Nicotine E-cigarette Withdrawal Scale (NEWS), which was developed and validated for adolescents. Here, we evaluated its psychometric properties for use with adults. In Fall 2024, 458 adults ages ≥ 21 (mean = 29.29, standard deviation = 7.98) who resided in the United States and reported using e-cigarettes ≥ 20 days in the past month completed a 15-minute, anonymous, online survey. Analyses included conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to determine the optimal latent structure of the NEWS, examining internal reliability, testing measurement invariance (e.g., daily versus non-daily e-cigarette use), evaluating between-groups differences, and examining test-criterion relationships with constructs including e-cigarette dependence and previous e-cigarette cessation attempts. The 25-item, 4-factor solution previously validated for youth was confirmed for adults. The NEWS can be scored to reflect Overall Withdrawal and by its subscales: Negative Affect, Negative Physical Symptoms, Craving, and Appetite/Food. Internal reliability was excellent (mean α = 0.91). Scalar measurement invariance was met for all groups tested (e.g., sex, exclusive e-cigarette use versus dual-use), and between-group differences were detected. Evidence for concurrent validity included, but was not limited to, observed relationships between greater e-cigarette dependence and all NEWS scores. The NEWS evidenced good psychometric properties for use with adults. Additional research should establish the utility of the NEWS for assessing acute nicotine e-cigarette withdrawal in adults.