Gender differences in temptation to drink, self-efficacy to abstain and coping behavior in treated alcohol-dependent individuals: Controlling for severity of dependence

Objectives: Studies on substance use disorders show consistent gender differences. Mainly, research has focused on etiological questions or aspects of comorbidity. Research on gender differences in variables associated with coping capabilities which may be influenced by therapeutic interventions still is scarce. Method: 230 alcohol-dependent patients at an abstinence-oriented inpatient motivational intervention programme were consecutively recruited (28.3% female). A comprehensive, standardized interview included the assessment of severity of dependence, coping-behaviour, temptation to drink and self-efficacy to resist alcohol consumption in high-risk situations. Results: Men reported higher severity of dependence on the physiological component of the dependence syndrome (p<0.05). When controlling for severity of dependence, male alcohol-dependent individuals reported higher temptation to drink in positive situations, and female alcohol-dependent individuals reported a higher educational level, a higher temptation to drink when faced with withdrawal/urges and more coping-efforts concerning negative thinking. Gender differences in temptation to drink were affected by the severity of dependence. Conclusion: Gender differences in variables associated with alcohol dependence are not merely a result of higher levels of dependence in male subjects. Findings reveal the necessity for differentiating the results on research on addictive disorders according to gender.