Masculinity as a Moderator of the Relation between COVID-19 Change in Employment and Alcohol Use among Women

Principal Author
Neha Shrestha
Graduate

Co-Author(s)
Dr. Jessica Perrotte, Dr. Krista Howard

Faculty Sponsor(s)
Dr. Jessica Perrotte

Abstract

Job loss and alcohol use increased for U.S. women during COVID-19. The relationship between pandemic-related job loss and drinking among women is understudied, although research indicates joblessness and alcohol use are related. Alcohol use is linked to masculinity. Women adopt masculine traits as they increasingly participate in traditionally male-dominated occupations. Women with masculine identities may engage in more alcohol use when they experience an adverse Change In Employment (CIE). To examine this, we used data from U.S. women collected online during April-May 2020, measured alcohol use (modified AUDIT; Saunders, 1993), four masculinity dimensions (Hsu & Iwamoto, 2014): Winning, Risk-Taking, Self-Reliance, and Primacy of Work, and pandemic-related change in employment. We controlled for age and education level. Moderated multiple regression was conducted using SPSS 26. Self-Reliance and Winning were related to more alcohol use. There was a significant interaction between CIE and both Winning and Risk-Taking in relation to alcohol use. This study emphasizes that U.S. women who endorse masculine identities are more at risk of drinking. Our study is evidence that even though masculinity among women is an understudied factor, it plays a significant role in understanding the relationship between unemployment and the risk of drinking.