Les problèmes liés à l'alcool chez les femmes: l'examen de l'hypothèse d'une interaction entre des facteurs de vulnérabilité et des agents déclencheurs.

Abstract
This study examines the impact of life events and major difficulties on the pathological drinking of women with alcohol related problems. The Life Events and Difficulty Schedule developed by Brown and Harris measures these provoking agents. The review of literature indicates inconclusive results because of the methodological limitations of studies using other methods. Furthermore, studies on depression have indicated that vulnerability factors mediate the impact of provoking agents. In this study, lack of care, as measured by the Islington Project on Loss, sexual abuse and parental alcoholism, as measured by subject''s report, were tested as possible vulnerability factors in women. Forty women admitted to treatment for alcohol related problems were interviewed. The research criteria was five years or less of alcohol abuse. The results indicate that 90% of the subjects experienced a provoking agent in the 12 months preceeding the onset of pathological drinking. This proportion is comparable, when not higher, to other studies on the social origins of depression. The events and difficulties most frequently reported are those related to the marriage and to the socio-sexual role. The prevalence of child neglect, sexual abuse, and parental alcoholism was much higher than in the general population. Results suggest that pathological drinking can be interpreted as an interaction between a provoking agent and vulnerability factors.