Sex role stereotypes and clinical judgement: How therapists view their alcoholic patients

Abstract

In the course of a selection procedure for inpatient treatment in an addiction clinic, it was repeatedly noticed that the attitude of staff-members towards male alcoholics was more confronting and critical as compared to a more empathic and supportive attitude towards female alcoholics. Two different processes may account for this phenomenon. Firstly, male and female alcoholics may differ in their interpersonal behavior towards therapists, and subsequently these different behaviours evoke different attitudes and behaviours in therapists (interaction-hypothesis). Secondly, these different attitudes towards male and female patients may emerge from preconceived ideas among therapists about male and female alcoholics (stereotype-hypothesis). This study describes the stereotypes held by therapists regarding the interpersonal behaviour of male and female alcoholics. Furthermore, it explores the influence of self perceived interpersonal behaviour of therapists on these stereotypes. The results suggests, that the differences in attitude and behaviour towards alcoholics are-at least partly-the result of different male and female alcoholic stereotypes held by therapists. These stereotypes were related to the self perceived interpersonal behaviour of the therapists. Pretreatment matching of patients and therapists should be based on interpersonal attitude rather than on sex.