Drunkenness-associated changes in the self-depictions of female alcoholics

The sober self-, drunk self-, and ideal self-depictions of 144 female alcoholic outpatients were obtained by means of the Q-technique. Subjects' drunk self-depictions were found to be very different from their sober self-depictions. Contrary to conventional presumptions, the composite effect of these drunkenness-associated changes was to increase the already appreciable discrepancy that existed between subjects' sober self- and ideal self-depictions. Of six interpretable dimensions of sober self-dissatisfaction obtained from the present data--(1) Subjective Distress, (2) Arrogance, (3) Impracticality, (4) Negative Self-Regard, (5) Lack of Interpersonal Forthcomingness, and (6) Anomic Depression--subjects' drunk self-depictions evidenced an increase in self-dissatisfaction on all but the first.