A cluster analysis of mothers of reproductive age based on their attitude and risk of alcohol use.

Abstract

The rates of alcohol use and binge drinking are increasing among women. To examine factors that can differentiate women with low-risk alcohol use from those with high-risk alcohol use, the present study explored whether there would be distinct subgroups of mothers who differed in their attitudes and risk of alcohol use. A sample of 141 women aged between 18 and 50 years old who had given birth within 3 years was recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to categorize the mothers based on the similarities between their attitudes and risk of alcohol use, which resulted in the identification of the following distinct subgroups: (a) mothers with negative attitudes toward alcohol use and low risk for problematic alcohol use, (b) mothers with positive attitudes and low risk, and (c) mothers with positive attitudes and high risk. These subgroups of mothers were then compared on the extent to which they differed in trait impulsivity and impulsive decision-making toward instant gratification. The results showed that the subgroups significantly differed in trait impulsivity but not in impulsive decision-making toward instant gratification. The present study demonstrated the usefulness of cluster analysis for profiling distinct, practically meaningful subgroups of mothers of reproductive age based on their attitudes and risk of alcohol use, which has important implications for developing intervention strategies for problematic alcohol use in this population. Public Health SignificanceThis study suggests that there are three distinct subgroups of mothers of reproductive age who differ in their attitudes and risk of alcohol use, and that trait impulsivity can differentiate mothers with positive attitudes toward alcohol use yet low risk for problematic alcohol use from those with positive attitudes and high risk.