Alcohol Expectancies, Heavy Drinking, and Indicators of Alcohol Use Disorders in a Community-Based Sample of Lesbian and Bisexual Women

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the associations among alcohol expectancies, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and indicators of alcohol abuse and dependence in a community sample of lesbian and bisexual women. Methods: We used adjusted logistic regression models to assess associations between alcohol expectancies and alcohol-related outcomes. Results: Drinking expectancies were positively related to outcomes. Expectancies of forgetting worries when depressed were positively related to HED, whereas expectancies of increased aggression and ability to express anger were positively related to indicators of alcohol abuse and dependence. Associations did not differ by sexual identity or race/ethnicity. Conclusion: These findings suggest that alcohol expectancies are an important factor in determining risk for alcohol misuse/abuse among lesbian and bisexual women that could inform prevention, intervention, and treatment efforts.