GENDER IN RELATION TO RELAPSE CRISIS SITUATIONS, COPING, AND OUTCOME AMONG TREATED ALCOHOLICS

Relapse crisis situations resulting in successful coping (i.e., abstin ence) and unsuccessful coping (i.e., relapse) were examined in 90 male and 35 female alcohol clients over the first 12 weeks following treat ment discharge. More similarities than differences were observed betwe en the genders in the relapse crisis situations encountered, the numbe r and type of coping strategies used, and the drinking outcome results . A similar proportion of males and females successfully abstained in the first 12 weeks posttreatment; a combination of cognitive and behav ioral coping was most frequently used by both genders, and negative em otional states constituted the most commonly reported relapse crisis s ituation. Survival of a relapse crisis was strongly associated with th e number of coping strategies used by both men and women. There was a nonsignificant trend for females to relapse more frequently in negativ e affect situations (i.e., negative emotions, conflict with others) an d males in the presence of other drinkers. Further studies employing l arger sample sizes are needed to examine gender differences in the pro cess of relapse. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.