Gender comparison of antisocial personality disorder and depression in alcoholism

Abstract

This study compared male and female alcoholics in terms of family history of alcoholism, Antisocial Personality (ASP), and depression on the course, consequences, and 1-year treatment outcome. The sample included 266 subjects (197 men and 69 women) who were hospitalized for treatment of alcoholism from three facilities in the greater Hartford area. Female alcoholics reported higher rates of alcoholism among their fathers than men across all diagnostic categories. Both male and female alcoholics who were diagnosed as having ASP reported higher alcoholism among their fathers than those with depression or no other diagnoses. Male alcoholics reported a longer duration of alcohol abuse and a higher number of lifetime alcohol-related problems than women. Subjects with ASP reported more childhood behavior problems, higher levels of alcohol consumption, and more affective and physical disturbances in the month prior to hospitalization whereas no gender differences were found on those variables. ASP alcoholics reported poorer 1-year treatment outcomes than non-ASP alcoholics. Males who were diagnosed as having depression tended to relapse, although the diagnosis of depression tended to modify the rate of relapse among women. The rate of depression was higher among women than men at the 1-year follow-up.