Women Account for Drinking Differences

Abstract

There were two main sources for this book. The first was material gained from 60 interviews with women, all of whom had a young child. None of them was identified as a problem drinker, but some were heavy drinkers (defined as drinking more than officially defined levels). Their comments provide the basis for this and the next four chapters. Second, I use two case studies of women who had been heavy drinkers prior to having a child, but who had developed recognisable problems when their child was very young. We hear their voices in chapter 8. Why combine a survey with case studies? In essence this was because case studies permit exploration of individual biographies in much greater detail than is possible in a larger survey (Stake 1995). This is an unusual approach to take when studying drinking behaviour (Velleman et al. 1998). But, by using this more detailed biographical approach, I was able to flesh out more fully how their experience as identified problem drinkers mirrored that of the heavy drinkers in the main sample, none of whom identified herself as in need of specific help.