Features of Self-Perception in Men and Women Suffering from Alcohol Addiction

The article presents results of the research into self-perception of males and females diagnosed with chronic alcoholism. The article’s data is theoretically based on the analysis of contemporary scientific studies which indicate a number of discrepancies identified in certain qualitative characteristics of alcohol addicts’ self-image. The empirical research studies 80 people aged between 30 and 47 years, including males (N = 20) and females (N = 20) with alcohol addiction, as well as healthy males (N = 20) and females (N = 20) who consume alcohol not more than 3 times a month. To identify indicators of a person’s self-perception the article uses the following methodology: “The study of the general self-esteem” by G.N. Kazantseva, “Personality differential” by E.F. Bazhin and A.M. Etkind, “Self-attitude Questionnaire” by V.V. Stolin and S.R. Pantileev. The research data shows that male alcohol addicts tend to have low self-esteem and self-control, declining auto-sympathy and self-acceptance, lack of self-management which is paradoxically coupled with excessive self-assurance. At the same time female alcohol addicts self-image is less different from that of healthy females. The former tend to have excessive self-assurance combined with low self-understanding. Moreover, compared with their male counterparts, females alcohol users show higher auto-sympathy and lower self-blaming. The acquired data can be used for developing rehabilitation programs for people suffering from alcohol addiction to help them build motivation for alcohol withdrawal.