The two intermediate subgroups were more gender specific. The “internalizing” subtype, which was labeled as such because of the ways in which its members expressed feelings and responded to their environments, included 32 percent of the women in the study population and only 11 percent of the men. This group comprised depressed and anxious alcoholics who reported often using alcohol to relieve anxiety or boredom (i.e., relief drinking). Members of this subtype were severely alcohol dependent and had medical or physical problems resulting from alcohol use. In addition, they showed only a moderate family history risk. The other group, the “externalizing” subtype, was predominantly male (containing 38 percent of the men versus 7 percent of the women), thereby indicating a gender bias. Members of this group also reported only a moderate family history of alcoholism. They did, however, report high levels of alcohol use, social consequences, and antisocial personality.
