Stressful events, personality, and mood disturbance: gender differences in alcoholics and problem drinkers

The present study examined relationships among stressful events, personality characteristics, and affective status in males and females of various alcohol drinking patterns. We examined a total of 154 participants from three distinct alcohol subgroups: alcohol dependent, problem drinker, and light social drinker. These subjects did not meet criteria for any concurrent nonalcohol comorbid psychiatric disorder. The study included an alcohol quantity-frequency interview and self-report questionnaires on stressful life events, depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and personality characteristics. Results showed female alcoholics reported significantly greater depression, anxiety, and neuroticism compared to their male counterparts (and all other drinking groups). Female problem drinkers reported significantly greater depressive symptoms and health-related stressful events compared to male problem drinkers and the light drinkers. In contrast, male problem drinkers did not show elevations on these dimensions and more closely resembled light drinkers, of whom no gender differences were found. The findings support theories suggesting a "telescoping" of complications, health-related stress, and mood dysfunction in women at a lower threshold level of alcohol consumption compared to their male counterparts.