Women represent an increasing proportion of individuals arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). In the ten years from 1997 to 2006, arrests of men for DUI decreased 6% nationally, while arrests of women increased 29%; for women under age 18 arrests increased by 39% (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2006). This trend, combined with evidence that the gender gap in alcohol dependence is closing (Grucza, Bucholz, Rice, & Bierut, 2008; Holdcraft & Iacono, 2002; Keyes, Grant, & Hasin, 2008), demonstrates the increasing risk for alcohol dependence and alcohol-related behaviors among women and highlights the need for research on women’s alcohol problems (Smith & Weisner, 2000). Careful examination of gender differences in DUI samples can suggest areas for improved treatment for women with DUIs or, more broadly, for women with severe alcohol dependence.
