Alcohol-related problems of future physicians prior to medical training

Time 1 data are presented from an ongoing longitudinal study of drinking patterns and problems of future physicians from medical school entrance through 2.5 years of training. The data in this report address the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of alcohol-related problems experienced prior to medical school training. A group of 167 students (91% of the cohort) was surveyed. Self-report questionnaires included: alcohol-related problems (the MAST), earlier parent-child relationships, personality characteristics (external locus of control, self-esteem, dependency, masculinity-femininity), life events, social supports, motivations for drinking and symptomatic distress. The male students manifested a higher mean level of alcohol problems, and the sexes differed at the trend level when the MAST was scored to distinguish "problem" from "nonproblem" drinkers (with 18.4% of the students reporting 5 or more problem points and 7.4% reporting 4 problem points). The significant correlates of alcohol problems included: perceived lack of earlier maternal affectivity (for men) and perceived lack of earlier paternal affectivity (for women), and lack of emotional support (for men). Moreover, escape motives for men were the motives most highly correlated with alcohol problems. Symptomatic distress (anxiety and hostility) was significantly correlated with alcohol-related problems in men but not women. Future reports will depict the psychosocial experiences and alcohol-related problems manifested by this cohort during medical training.