Barriers and Treatment Preferences Reported by Worried Drinkers of Various Sexual Orientations

Abstract

This web-based study evaluated treatment preferences and perceived barriers to seeking treatment reported by heterosexual and lesbian/gay/bisexual worried drinkers. The sample (N = 218: 71% female, 72% heterosexual) was ethnically diverse. Potential barriers to treatment seeking that were endorsed included problem minimization, lack of motivation, stigma, and having negative thoughts about treatment. Treatment preferences included professional outpatient treatment, self-help group, computer-assisted treatment, and self-help book. The majority did not have a preference for therapist by gender or sexual orientation. Clinical implications of findings are discussed in terms minimizing the impact of barriers to improve service utilization.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol use disorders
• barriers to care
• treatment preferences
• sexual orientation
• gender

Notes

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This research was funded in part by a training grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism awarded to Barbara S. McCrady, PhD (T32 AA07569). The author greatly appreciates Drs. Barbara McCrady, PhD, Elizabeth Epstein, PhD, Donald Bux Jr., PhD, and Diana Sanchez, PhD for their guidance on this dissertation project. The author would like to thank Drs. McCrady and Epstein for their ongoing mentorship throughout her graduate education and beyond. Parts of this paper were presented at the 2009 Annual Convention for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, New York, NY. Kelly E. Green was previously affiliated with Rutgers University, Department of Psychology, where this work was initiated as part of her doctoral dissertation.