Perceived antecedents and effects of alcohol consumption in women.

Abstract

Questionnaire responses on motivational factors and the psychological effects of drinking were compared in 240 alcoholics (half women), 57 nonalcoholic women in treatment for psychiatric and emotional problems and 84 normal women. Based on factor loadings, 3 scales were identified: powerlessness-inadequacy, escapism and sociability. Although men and women alcoholics had similar mean ratings on the escapism and sociability scales, women were more likely than men to state that items on the powerlessness-inadequacy scale made them want to drink. Compared with normal controls, women alcoholics were more likely to percieve that feelings of powerlessness-inadequacy and escapism preceded drinking; compared with women alcoholics, normal controls more often drank for social reasons. A similar pattern was found in the comparison of omen alcoholics'' and normal controls'' ratings of factors likely to precede the desire to drink. Psychiatric controls'' ratings on the powerlessness-inadequacy and escapism scales were lower than those of women alcoholics for both the desire to drink and actual consumption and slightly higher on the sociability scale. Men and women alcoholics were more inclined than nonalcoholic women to believe that drinking resulted in positive psychological effects. Normal controls'' ratings of the positive effects of drinking were significantly lower than those of women alcoholics for moderate and heavy drinking; psychiatric and normal controls'' ratings of the effects of moderate and heavy drinking were similar.