Sexual abuse and the subsequent development of alcohol problems

The literature on sexual abuse and alcohol problems has been reviewed. Various methodological issues are relevant in determining whether there is merely an association or also a causal relationship. These include the definition of sexual abuse, the degree and timing of abuse, the methods of data collection, sample selection, the presence or absence of control groups, possible recall bias, difficulties with prospective studies for this subject, and the definition of alcohol misuse or dependence. Results with community and victim samples are conflicting, but studies on samples of problem drinkers suggest an association between severe alcohol problems and previous sexual abuse, at least in women. The association may be especially strong for earlier and more severe forms of sexual abuse. Possible mechanisms for an association were examined and are: (1) sexual abuse as a cause of alcohol misuse; (2) alcohol misuse predisposing people to sexual assault; (3) sexual assault and alcohol misuse both resulting from another factor; (4) sexual abuse predisposing to other conditions associated with alcohol misuse; and (5) an artefactual association. Regardless of the role of sexual abuse in causing alcohol problems, the available evidence suggests that victims of sexual abuse may present to services with more problematical patterns of drinking and more concurrent psychiatric disorder.