This chapter introduces three areas of basic knowledge: (1) the historical background of women’s substance abuse* and treatment in the United States, as this shows the origin of the current issues in women’s substance abuse and treatment and why such issues developed; (2) the epidemiology of women’s AOD use, abuse, and dependence, as revealed by today’s scientific data, as this portrays objectively the current scope and characteristics of the problem; and (3) the physiological and psychosocial impact and consequences of women’s AOD abuse and misuse, as this demonstrates the significance of women’s AOD problems and related implications.

Often practitioners in...

Scholars have proposed various theories to explain why people (both men and women) abuse or become addicted to substances. The moral model is based on the assumption that substance abuse is a personal choice and that an individual with addictions is simply an irresponsible person. This assumption leads to the belief that addictive behavior is immoral and, consequently, should be punished. The criminal justice system and some religious organizations adopt this model. Biological theory, on the other hand, assumes that addiction is hereditary and that people become addicts because they are predisposed to do so. Biological theory also assumes that...

What kind of AOD treatment program will best suit women’s needs and produce more-successful treatment outcomes or retention rates for female clients? (Retention is included as an outcome variable because numerous empirical studies suggest its association with positive post-treatment outcomes for men and women [e.g., Messina, Wish, and Nemes 2000; Stevens and Arbiter 1995; Wexler, Cuadrado, and Stevens 1998]). Traditionally, the available data have not been of much help in answering this question, since most early studies selected only male subjects or included a disproportionately small percentage of women (Vannicelli 1984). More-recent studies, however, have investigated treatment success factors specifically...

This chapter introduces seven commonly known AOD psychosocial treatment methods/approaches: motivational interviewing/motivational enhancement therapy (MI/MET), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), professional 12-step facilitation intervention (TSF), brief intervention (BI), contingency management (CM), behavioral couples therapy (BCT), and community reinforcement approach (CRA). These seven methods do not include pharmaceutical treatment methods, and they are not the only psychosocial treatment methods used in the field. Interested readers are encouraged to explore other methods as well. Also, the material presented only summarizes the key components of each method. Readers may refer to the specific manuals noted to acquire more detailed information about each method (Web site...

The negative consequences of substance abuse by pregnant women have been doubly emphasized because of the involvement of an innocent fetus. However, the individual rights of these women and their lack of specific resources further compound the issue (Jos, Marshall, and Perlmutter 1997). Helping this population thus becomes an imperative, as well as challenging, mission. During pregnancy a woman may be highly motivated to stop unhealthy or risky behavior, including AOD use/abuse, because of a natural maternal instinct to protect her unborn child. (In fact, during pregnancy, about 25% to 40% of female smokers spontaneously stop smoking and about 67%...

Adolescence is one of the most important developmental stages in a person’s life. The extensive biological, psychological, and social development that takes place creates both promise and worry in adolescents. Making the transition from being infertile to fertile and from being a vulnerable child to an independent adult is an extremely demanding process. Adolescents are given more autonomy to explore the world and have new experiences, but they are also expected to become independent and functional members of family, community, and society. Although they mature in primary and secondary sex characteristics and become stronger physically and cognitively, they may not...

Substance abuse issues among older adults, particularly women, have traditionally received little attention from the AOD treatment and research community. This lack of attention could be a result of the relatively lower AOD prevalence rate in this population,* American society’s ageism and devaluation of old age, or other factors (Graham et al. 1995). In the past twenty years, more research has been done regarding this population and more elder-specific treatment has been offered, but such research is still relatively scarce compared to research for younger adults. Although older adults appeared to have a lower AOD prevalence than other age groups,...

Homelessness has caught society’s attention in the past fifteen years, particularly because the homeless population has changed from mainly “skid row” single men during the early 1980s to a high percentage of single women and single-parent, female-headed families with children since the 1990s. According to 2006’s Hunger and Homelessness Survey (U.S. Conference of Mayors 2006), the homeless population comprised 51% single men, 30% families with children, 17% single women, and 2% unaccompanied youth. In other words, families with children and single women accounted for half of the entire homeless population.

Homeless women are a diverse group with at least two...

One of the oldest professions, prostitution is perceived by society to be immoral. Prostitutes are marginalized and stigmatized as being associated with not only a low social status but a status tinged with shame. Prostitution is defined as the exchange of sex for money, drugs, or other objects that have monetary value. A hierarchy exists within the prostitution profession, ranging from “call girls” and other indoor prostitutes at the top to streetwalking or outdoor prostitutes at the bottom (Dalla 2001; Goldstein 1979; Romero-Daza, Weeks, and Singer’s review 2003). Although all prostitutes may be subjected to unpredictable and dangerous working environments,...

Lesbians are a diverse group, not only because they come from various ethnic and sociocultural backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and age groups but also because of the various meanings they assign to the concept of lesbian as a sexual orientation. Beiner and Hannam (2006) said, “Some lesbians are sexual with men at times, yet see themselves as lesbians. Some women have same-sex relationships, but do not see themselves as lesbians. There are also women who choose to self-identify as lesbians on the basis of emotional attraction to other women and in spite of being sexually attracted to men” (1). There are...