compared to our previous study (Evans and Levin, 2003), although none of the women had an alcohol used disorder. This increase in alcohol consumption among the FHP women could simply reflect the general increase in alcohol consumption among women in the U.S. (Keyes et al., 2008), although one would have expected a corresponding increase in alcohol consumption in the FHN group as well. While it is possible that alcohol consumption may be increasing more among FHP women relative to FHN women, additional epidemiological studies are needed to determine if this is true. Alternatively, FHP women may be drinking more to improve their underlying dysphoric mood. One study that prospectively monitored premenstrual symptoms and drinking behavior found that alcohol consumption increased during the luteal phase in FHP women, but not in FHN women, although there was no relationship between premenstrual symptoms and alcohol use (Svikis et al., 2006). Unfortunately, since women in that study were instructed to complete the forms at the end of the day (similar to the Daily Ratings Form used in the present study), it is unknown whether the lower premenstrual ratings in FHP women compared to FHN women were related to their increased alcohol consumption.
