Women’s alcohol consumption: a gender comparison of the antecedents and consequences

Abstract

Alcoholism was once considered a problem for men but recent research is indicting that about one third of all alcohol-abusing persons, are women. Wilsnack and Wilsnack (1978) point out that increased drinking among women might be a result of the social movement and changes in women s, roles, especially changes that involve exposure to formerly masculine environments and roles. Thus gender gap in drinking behaviour is decreasing because of the gradual changes in social norms. Nonetheless women are underrepresented as subjects for research studies in alcoholism and left out of the forum for discussion on alcohol consumption. Such gender differences in alcohol use have bolstered costly biases in how societies identify and try to control alcohol-related problems. Such attitude further prevents these women from getting the needed intervention and treatment (NIAAA, 1998). Thus the main aim of this study was to devote research attention to women s alcohol consumption while investigating differences between male and female respondents on alcohol expectancies, social cultural variables, stress and coping indicators as various antecedents to alcohol consumption and psycho social consequences that arise; with levels of alcohol consumption (hazardous, harmful use and alcohol dependency), as the dependent variable, within Goan society. newlineThe major emphasis of this research work was to gather data that is distinctive to alcohol consumption in women. For this purpose the respondents were administered a questionnaire that initially categorized them into various stages of high risk alcohol consumption i.e hazardous, harmful use and dependency. They were later measured on various indices i.e. the alcohol expectancy questionnaire scored cognitive motivators and beliefs which people have about alcohol consumption. The brief stress and coping inventory by Richard H. Rahe was used to find out different areas of stress and coping skills.