Longitudinal Causal Relationship between Problem Drinking and Self-Esteem in Middle-aged Women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible causal relationship between problem drinking and self-esteem in middle-aged women. Data was extracted from Korea Welfare Panel Dataset, which began to be collected since 2006. Subjects were 497 women aged between 40 and 60 as of 2006. Problem drinking and self-esteem, which were repeatedly measured every year from 2006 to 2010, were analyzed using Latent Difference Score model. Research findings are as follows. First, problem drinking in middle-aged women was caused by self-esteem in the years between 2006 and 2007. Second, low self-esteem was still a cause of problem drinking in the years between 2006 and 2010. Lastly, the causal relationship between problem drinking and self-esteem was held when the factors of age, poverty status, and education were controlled. Study implications are discussed in terms of data analysis methods and alcohol prevention programs.