SUBMISSION AND REBELLION - EXCESSIVE DRINKING OF WOMEN IN PROBLEMATICHETEROSEXUAL PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS

Functionality of alcohol use for coping with partner relationship prob lems was explored in a group of 45 alcohol-dependent women with semist ructured interviews. Six functions were categorized, three of them ref erring to adjustment and three to opposition to the partner. Responden ts who had started excessive drinking mainly in response to problems w ith the partner reported more partner-related functions than responden ts for whom a problematic partner relationship was not an important fa ctor in the development of excessive drinking. Respondents of the firs t group also reported other characteristics of their relationship, not ably they said more often that their partner was dominant. It was conc luded that for a subgroup of women with alcohol problems, alcohol use may be a way of coping with a situation of powerlessness toward the pa rtner.