Christina Birath - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Christina Birath

Research paper thumbnail of WOMEN WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS SEEKING TREATMENT

The consequences of hazardous or harmful alcohol use are both physiological and psychosocial and ... more The consequences of hazardous or harmful alcohol use are both physiological and psychosocial and seem to occur earlier in the use of alcohol for women as compared to men. Seeking treatment for alcohol problems means crossing a threshold; this is especially the case for women who perceive that having an alcohol problem is not compatible with female gender expectations. In the present thesis the complete data sets of 134 women, consecutively seeking treatment during 2001 -2005 at a Swedish clinic specialized in women with alcohol problems, were studied. Almost all women fulfilled the criteria of a DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence. The main aims were to explore the women's underlying individual and psychosocial characteristics within a Swedish context, and to examine factors influencing treatment outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Women with Substance Abuse Problems Exposed to Men’s Violence - A Public Mental Health Challenge

Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Risky Drinking Women: Contrasting Therapeutic Approaches

Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Moods and expectations relating to a typical drinking occasion for women with alcohol dependence in Sweden

European Psychiatry, 2008

Background: The link between impulsivity and alcohol use disorders has been established in longit... more Background: The link between impulsivity and alcohol use disorders has been established in longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, but little is know about the role of behavioural impulsivity in the development of substance use disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Women with alcohol problems: The possible significance of personality clustering for treatment planning

Drug and Alcohol Review, 2011

Data were collected from 134 consecutive women at a Swedish clinic specialised in treating women ... more Data were collected from 134 consecutive women at a Swedish clinic specialised in treating women with alcohol problems. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the basis of self-rated personality scale scores and psychological health variables. Results. Two clusters were identified: one in which the women displayed personality and psychological health scores indicating problems (Cluster 1); and another where the women showed personality and psychological health scores within the norm range (Cluster 2). Alcohol consumption rates at the start of treatment were the same in both clusters.The consumption rates were also the same at the end of treatment for the cluster, showing a significant decrease in alcohol consumption in each. The Cluster 1 women, however, had a significantly higher number of visits at the clinic, and rated the consequences of their alcohol drinking as being significantly worse than Cluster 2 women. Discussion and Conclusions. The importance of individual differences according to personality traits for treatment planning is discussed in terms of the need for variation in treatment time and methods. [Scheffel Birath C, DeMarinis V, Stenbacka M, af Klinteberg B.Women with alcohol problems:The possible significance of personality clustering for treatment planning. Drug Alcohol Rev 2011;30:207-215]

Research paper thumbnail of Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinking - an exploratory study

Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 2010

Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinkingan exploratory study Gaining access to informati... more Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinkingan exploratory study Gaining access to information concerning mood states and expectations of change preceding a typical drinking occasion is important for understanding the trigger factors for drinking, and for alcohol abuse treatment planning. The objective of the present study was twofold: (i) to explore self-reported states of mood and expectancies preceding a typical drinking occasion vs. relations with parents and drinking outcome; and (ii) to investigate if vulnerability factors in terms of personality and health are related to severity of alcohol problems. The population consisted of 50 women attending a Swedish alcohol clinic. Semistructured interviews were conducted. A mixed-methods design was used encompassing qualitative interview-data and quantitative data from questionnaires and medical journals. Nine out of ten patients had a diagnosis of alcohol dependence, and four out of five had parents with dependency problems. As compared to a female norm group, the patients displayed significantly higher anxietyrelated traits and irritability. Moods were described by patients as mostly negative and expectancies of change were evenly distributed between reducing, enhancing or flight from feeling. An expectancy of flight when drinking was also related to a positive relation to mother. The findings pointed to the need for differentiating between coping with and expectancies of drinking. Further, a hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in two groups, indicating one group characterized by higher risk values on personality scales and more severe consequences of drinking. The contribution of a treatment design informed through a gender and culture perspective to treatment outcome was discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of WOMEN WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS SEEKING TREATMENT

The consequences of hazardous or harmful alcohol use are both physiological and psychosocial and ... more The consequences of hazardous or harmful alcohol use are both physiological and psychosocial and seem to occur earlier in the use of alcohol for women as compared to men. Seeking treatment for alcohol problems means crossing a threshold; this is especially the case for women who perceive that having an alcohol problem is not compatible with female gender expectations. In the present thesis the complete data sets of 134 women, consecutively seeking treatment during 2001 -2005 at a Swedish clinic specialized in women with alcohol problems, were studied. Almost all women fulfilled the criteria of a DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence. The main aims were to explore the women's underlying individual and psychosocial characteristics within a Swedish context, and to examine factors influencing treatment outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Women with Substance Abuse Problems Exposed to Men’s Violence - A Public Mental Health Challenge

Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Risky Drinking Women: Contrasting Therapeutic Approaches

Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Moods and expectations relating to a typical drinking occasion for women with alcohol dependence in Sweden

European Psychiatry, 2008

Background: The link between impulsivity and alcohol use disorders has been established in longit... more Background: The link between impulsivity and alcohol use disorders has been established in longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, but little is know about the role of behavioural impulsivity in the development of substance use disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Women with alcohol problems: The possible significance of personality clustering for treatment planning

Drug and Alcohol Review, 2011

Data were collected from 134 consecutive women at a Swedish clinic specialised in treating women ... more Data were collected from 134 consecutive women at a Swedish clinic specialised in treating women with alcohol problems. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the basis of self-rated personality scale scores and psychological health variables. Results. Two clusters were identified: one in which the women displayed personality and psychological health scores indicating problems (Cluster 1); and another where the women showed personality and psychological health scores within the norm range (Cluster 2). Alcohol consumption rates at the start of treatment were the same in both clusters.The consumption rates were also the same at the end of treatment for the cluster, showing a significant decrease in alcohol consumption in each. The Cluster 1 women, however, had a significantly higher number of visits at the clinic, and rated the consequences of their alcohol drinking as being significantly worse than Cluster 2 women. Discussion and Conclusions. The importance of individual differences according to personality traits for treatment planning is discussed in terms of the need for variation in treatment time and methods. [Scheffel Birath C, DeMarinis V, Stenbacka M, af Klinteberg B.Women with alcohol problems:The possible significance of personality clustering for treatment planning. Drug Alcohol Rev 2011;30:207-215]

Research paper thumbnail of Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinking - an exploratory study

Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 2010

Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinkingan exploratory study Gaining access to informati... more Moods and expectancies of female alcohol drinkingan exploratory study Gaining access to information concerning mood states and expectations of change preceding a typical drinking occasion is important for understanding the trigger factors for drinking, and for alcohol abuse treatment planning. The objective of the present study was twofold: (i) to explore self-reported states of mood and expectancies preceding a typical drinking occasion vs. relations with parents and drinking outcome; and (ii) to investigate if vulnerability factors in terms of personality and health are related to severity of alcohol problems. The population consisted of 50 women attending a Swedish alcohol clinic. Semistructured interviews were conducted. A mixed-methods design was used encompassing qualitative interview-data and quantitative data from questionnaires and medical journals. Nine out of ten patients had a diagnosis of alcohol dependence, and four out of five had parents with dependency problems. As compared to a female norm group, the patients displayed significantly higher anxietyrelated traits and irritability. Moods were described by patients as mostly negative and expectancies of change were evenly distributed between reducing, enhancing or flight from feeling. An expectancy of flight when drinking was also related to a positive relation to mother. The findings pointed to the need for differentiating between coping with and expectancies of drinking. Further, a hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in two groups, indicating one group characterized by higher risk values on personality scales and more severe consequences of drinking. The contribution of a treatment design informed through a gender and culture perspective to treatment outcome was discussed.