Female alcoholics. II. The expression of alcoholism in relation to gender and age.

A sample of 233 consecutive alcohol-dependent female admissions were cross-matched for date of birth and admission with male subjects of similar ethnic background. Primary drug abusers were not included. A quarter of subjects of both sexes were married. There were no gender or age differences in the level of family history of alcoholism. Highly significant gender and age differences were found in alcohol-related behaviours, which were more prominent in the younger age groups and in male subjects. These crucial differences were highlighted by stratification of the results into age groups at decade intervals. Individual personality traits or a family history of alcoholism were found to determine the age of onset and pattern of alcoholism, whereas gender and maturational stage influenced the expression of alcohol-related behaviours that occur in treatment populations.