title: Women's motivators for seeking treatment for alcohol use disorders.
abstract: This study examined types of internal and external motivations for seeking treatment and the predictive utility of different types of motivation among 180 women with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) participating in a two-armed trial testing different individual and couple therapies for AUDs. Reasons for seeking treatment were coded for type of internal or external motivation. Most women (97%) cited internal reasons for seeking help, including: concern about progression of AUD (61.1%), health (43.3%), mental health (38.9%), and family (38.3%). Occupational concerns, an internal motivator cited by 6% of women, were associated with better drinking outcomes; interpersonal-family concerns were associated with poorer outcomes. Some motivators for seeking treatment may not be related to sustained changes in drinking, suggesting that understanding motivators for treatment may be inadequate to maintain change. Reasons for help-seeking may need to be addressed in treatment to produce long-lasting change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, United States. Justine.Grosso@gmail.com
authors.forename: Justine A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Barbara S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: McCrady
authors.forename: Ayorkor
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaba
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Lindsey M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Backer-Fulghum
authors.forename: Fiona S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Graff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003068:Coercion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*