Thesis Undergraduate 574 words

Marital Status, Gender, and Alcohol Abuse

Last reviewed: April 26, 2014 ~3 min read

Marital Status/Alcohol

The Association between Marital Status and Alcohol Use

Marital status appears to be associated with alcohol consumption for both men and women. Men in long-term marriages and relationships appear to drink significantly less alcohol than single men, whereas women may demonstrate a different pattern (Chatav & Whisman, 2007). Women and long-term marriages may actually show slightly higher levels of alcohol use than for women who were divorced (Reczek, Liu, & Spiker, In Press). This study attempts to further validate this particular finding.

Heavy alcohol abuse is related to higher mortality rates and lower life expectancies, whereas the effects of mild to moderate alcohol use appear to range from beneficial to detrimental (e.g., Gunzerath, Faden, Zakhari, & Warren, 2004; Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberdig, 2000). Given these findings there has been a significant sociological policy to encourage healthy levels of alcohol use in adults (Witkiewitz & Marlatt, 2006). The potential for alcohol abuse to be harmful to both individuals and to society has led to an extensive literature on the relationship between alcohol use and alcohol abuse and marital status in attempting to understand how one's marital status affects one's alcohol usage. Understanding the relationship between heavy alcohol use and various demographic factors is important to aid in the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse disorders, the development of educational programs regarding a healthier lifestyle and understanding the premorbid factors of substance abuse.

The general findings from the research on the effects of marital status and alcohol usage indicate that married individuals generally engage in less alcohol usage than single or divorced individuals (e.g., see Bachman, Safron, Sy, & Schulenberg, 2002; Curran, Muthen, & Harford, 1998). Likewise the rates of substance abuse disorders and substance dependence are generally believed to be lower in individuals who are married compared to those who are single (Saddock & Saddock, 2007). The research has also found that the transition from single life to married life reduces overall alcohol use and binge drinking in those with potential alcohol abuse; however, this relationship appears to be stronger for men than women (Bachman et al., 2002). Moreover, it appears that a similar relationship exists with individuals that are recently widowed or divorced as these individuals overall report higher usage of alcohol and alcohol abuse symptoms than married individuals, but again the relationship may be different for different genders (Curran et all., 1998). Thus, while there appears to be a general association between being married and reduced usage of alcohol, the actual mediating variables and specific relationships for both men and woman as they relate to alcohol use have been unclear.

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References

22 sources cited in this paper

Austin, E. J., Gibson, G. J., Deary, I. J., McGregor, M. J., & Dent, J. B. (1998). Individual
response spread in self-report scales: personality correlations and consequences. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 421–438.
Bachman, J. G., Safron, D. J., Sy, S. R., & Schulenberg, J. (2002). Preferred Work Intensity Of
Secondary School Students: New Findings and Insights on Why Part-Time Work Intensity Correlates With Drug Use and Problem Behavior. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Chatav, Y., & Whisman, M. A. (2007). Marital Dissolution and Psychiatrie Disorders: An
Investigation of Risk Factors. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 47(1-2), 1-13.
Curran, P. J., Muthén, B. O., & Harford, T. C. (1998). The influence of changes in marital status
on developmental trajectories of alcohol use in young adults. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(6), 647-666.
Folllingstad, D., Rogers, M., & Duvall, J. (2012). Factors predicting relationship satisfaction,
investment, and commitment when women report high prevalence of psychological abuse. Journal of Family Violence 27(4), 257-273.
Gunzerath, L., Faden, V., Zakhari, S., & Warren, K. (2004). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism report on moderate drinking. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28(6), 829-847.
Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-
Hill.
Reczek, C., Liu, H., & Spiker, R. (In Press). A population based study of alcohol use in same-
sex and different-sex unions. The Journal of Marriage and Family.
Sadock, B. J., and Sadock, V. A., (2007). Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry:
Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry (10th edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams
Smith, P. H., Homish, G. G., Leonard, K. E., & Cornelius, J. R. (2012). Women ending marriage
to a problem drinking partner decrease their own risk for problem drinking. Addiction 107(8), 1453-1461.
Witkiewitz, K., & Marlatt, A. G. (2006). Overview of harm reduction treatments for alcohol
problems. International Journal of Drug Policy, 17(4), 285-294.

Austin, E. J., Gibson, G. J., Deary, I. J., McGregor, M. J., & Dent, J. B. (1998). Individual
response spread in self-report scales: personality correlations and consequences. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 421–438.
Bachman, J. G., Safron, D. J., Sy, S. R., & Schulenberg, J. (2002). Preferred Work Intensity Of
Secondary School Students: New Findings and Insights on Why Part-Time Work Intensity Correlates With Drug Use and Problem Behavior. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Chatav, Y., & Whisman, M. A. (2007). Marital Dissolution and Psychiatrie Disorders: An
Investigation of Risk Factors. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 47(1-2), 1-13.
Curran, P. J., Muthén, B. O., & Harford, T. C. (1998). The influence of changes in marital status
on developmental trajectories of alcohol use in young adults. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(6), 647-666.
Folllingstad, D., Rogers, M., & Duvall, J. (2012). Factors predicting relationship satisfaction,
investment, and commitment when women report high prevalence of psychological abuse. Journal of Family Violence 27(4), 257-273.
Gunzerath, L., Faden, V., Zakhari, S., & Warren, K. (2004). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism report on moderate drinking. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28(6), 829-847.
Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-
Hill.
Reczek, C., Liu, H., & Spiker, R. (In Press). A population based study of alcohol use in same-
sex and different-sex unions. The Journal of Marriage and Family.
Sadock, B. J., and Sadock, V. A., (2007). Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry:
Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry (10th edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams
Smith, P. H., Homish, G. G., Leonard, K. E., & Cornelius, J. R. (2012). Women ending marriage
to a problem drinking partner decrease their own risk for problem drinking. Addiction 107(8), 1453-1461.
Witkiewitz, K., & Marlatt, A. G. (2006). Overview of harm reduction treatments for alcohol
problems. International Journal of Drug Policy, 17(4), 285-294.

Austin, E. J., Gibson, G. J., Deary, I. J., McGregor, M. J., & Dent, J. B. (1998). Individual
response spread in self-report scales: personality correlations and consequences. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 421–438.
Bachman, J. G., Safron, D. J., Sy, S. R., & Schulenberg, J. (2002). Preferred Work Intensity Of
Secondary School Students: New Findings and Insights on Why Part-Time Work Intensity Correlates With Drug Use and Problem Behavior. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Chatav, Y., & Whisman, M. A. (2007). Marital Dissolution and Psychiatrie Disorders: An
Investigation of Risk Factors. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 47(1-2), 1-13.
Curran, P. J., Muthén, B. O., & Harford, T. C. (1998). The influence of changes in marital status
on developmental trajectories of alcohol use in young adults. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(6), 647-666.
Folllingstad, D., Rogers, M., & Duvall, J. (2012). Factors predicting relationship satisfaction,
investment, and commitment when women report high prevalence of psychological abuse. Journal of Family Violence 27(4), 257-273.
Gunzerath, L., Faden, V., Zakhari, S., & Warren, K. (2004). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism report on moderate drinking. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28(6), 829-847.
Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-
Hill.
Reczek, C., Liu, H., & Spiker, R. (In Press). A population based study of alcohol use in same-
sex and different-sex unions. The Journal of Marriage and Family.
Sadock, B. J., and Sadock, V. A., (2007). Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry:
Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry (10th edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams
Smith, P. H., Homish, G. G., Leonard, K. E., & Cornelius, J. R. (2012). Women ending marriage
to a problem drinking partner decrease their own risk for problem drinking. Addiction 107(8), 1453-1461.
Witkiewitz, K., & Marlatt, A. G. (2006). Overview of harm reduction treatments for alcohol
problems. International Journal of Drug Policy, 17(4), 285-294.