Childhood abuse and neglect and transitions in stages of alcohol involvement among women: a latent transition analysis approach

Abstract

Background: Childhood abuse and neglect have been linked with alcohol disorders in adulthood yet less is known about the potential of early trauma to influence transitions in stages of alcohol involvement among women. Study aims were to (1) identify stages of women's alcohol involvement, (2) examine the probability of transitions between stages, and (3) investigate the influence of four domains of childhood abuse and neglect (sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and witness to domestic violence), assessed individually and as poly-victimization, on transitions.

Methods: The sample consisted of 11,750 adult female current drinkers identified in Wave 1 (2001-2002) and re-interviewed in Wave 2 (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Results: Three stages of alcohol involvement emerged from latent class analysis of 11 DSM-IV abuse/dependence criteria: severe (1.5% at Wave 1, 1.9% at Wave 2), hazardous (13.6% at Wave 1, 16.0% at Wave 2), and non-problem drinking (82.1% at Wave 1, 84.5% at Wave 2). Adjusted latent transition analyses determined transition probabilities between stages across waves. Women reporting any childhood abuse and neglect were more likely to advance from the non-problem drinking class at Wave 1 to severe (AOR=3.90, 95% CI=1.78-8.53) and hazardous (AOR=1.56, 95% CI=1.22-2.01) drinking classes at Wave 2 relative to women without this history. Associations were also observed between individual domains and transition from no problems to severe alcohol stage.

Conclusions: Results suggest a long-term impact of childhood abuse and neglect as drivers of progression in women's alcohol involvement.

Keywords: Alcohol; Alcohol abuse; Alcoholism; Childhood abuse and neglect; Drinking; Latent transition analysis; NESARC; Women and alcohol.