Stress-Induced Use of Alcohol by Problem Drinkers as a Function of their Sense of Identity

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Abstract
From Levy''s suggestion that one may become an alcoholic in order to attain an identity, it was predicted that problem drinkers with a stronger sense of identity would desire to drink more often in the face of stress; take a drink more readily when they felt this desire; drink to drunkenness more readily once they began drinking. To test these predictions, two self-report instruments were employed. The Brownfain Social Conflict Index, a measure of self-perceived other congruency which operationally fits Erikson''s definition of "sense of identity", was used to assess that variable. On a new check-list of 15 stressful situations (5 involving the self, 5 involving interpersonal relations, and 5 involving work), each subject was instructed to cross out any which he had not encountered within the past year, check those which, when encountered, had aroused within him a desire to drink, double check those in which he gave in to this desire, and triple check those in which the drinking continued to drunkeness. The instruments were administered to 21 men who admitted to problem the drinking and had worked within the prior year, 13 being outpatients at an alcoholism clinic, and 8 inpatients on an open-ward psychiatric service. No systematic differences were found between the subjects from the two sources. Prediction No. 2 was supported (correlation between sense of identity and percentage of double-checked situations: [tau]8 = .39, p < .05). Prediction No. 3 was moderately supported (correlation between sense of identity and percentage of triple-checked situations: [tau] 8 = .34, p < .10). The finding as to the first prediction, however, was significant in the reverse direction (correlation between sense of identity and percentage of situations not crossed out which were single-checked: [tau] 8 = .58, p <01). A possible explanation of these results in terms of a U-shaped relationship was suggested. Individuals with weak identities may turn to drink in response to stressful situations, thereby developing an identity as problem drinkers. As this identity develops further, the stress-reducing function of drinking becomes less necessary, but drinking becomes more readily available in response to internal desires for it. Concerns relevant to the self-system, to interpersonal relations, and to work appear to provide progressively less (in that order, with work less than half as much as self) impetus for drinking. This finding appears consistent with the "psychosexual stages" theory of drinking. It also suggests that treatment of problem drinking may be facilitated by first mobilizing the less threatening, more easily rewarded work area and moving from there toward consideration of the self-system.

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