Stage 2

SPACES Work Package 2: Developing Real Women’s Stories for the SPACES Intervention

Why we did this study

Earlier stages of our project showed that many women want support that feels real, relatable, and non‑judgmental. Traditional advice about alcohol can feel moralising or disconnected from the realities of women’s lives. SPACES uses real women’s stories as a core part of the intervention; we needed to make sure these stories truly reflected women’s lived experiences, including the challenges, mixed feelings, and the different paths people take toward change. In this stage of developing SPACES, we focused on gathering these narratives and ensuring they were carefully developed and grounded in behaviour‑change science.

What we did 

We interviewed 21 mid‑life women aged 40–65 from a wide range of backgrounds, including women with caring responsibilities, long‑term health conditions, stressful jobs, and different drinking patterns, from cutting down to stopping completely. Public Advisory Group members also told us their stories.

We used a structured approach to understand each woman’s story. This involved interviewing women to identify the key moments, what influenced drinking, what helped women make changes, and how they felt afterwards. Four members of the research team coded each interview to make sure we captured these elements accurately and consistently.

What we found

Women’s stories highlighted a rich mixture of influences on drinking during mid‑life, including:

• Stress and emotional load - alcohol used to switch off, cope, or find relief

• Family, health, and caring pressures

• Menopause symptoms and fatigue

• Social norms and expectations

• Identity, confidence, and self‑image

• Habits formed over many years

Narratives were honest, and highlighted both the difficulty and possibility of making changes. Some women described gradual reductions; others chose to stop completely; many described trying different approaches over time.

What we did with the stories 

We then turned each interview into a crafted story of about 400 words. They were carefully shaped to be engaging, relatable, and anonymous. Some stories combine experiences from more than one woman so that they can’t be traced back to an individual. 

Finally, we checked each story against the SPACES logic model, which is the framework guiding how the intervention works. This helped us make sure the stories reflected the kinds of experiences, strategies, and behaviour‑change ideas we know are helpful for reducing drinking. For example, some stories focus on stress, menopause symptoms or emotional triggers; others highlight practical strategies like changing routines, removing alcohol from the home, seeking support, or exploring alcohol‑free alternatives.

How this shaped SPACES

This process resulted in a diverse theory‑informed ‘Story Bank’ that reflects the complexities of women’s real lives. These stories now form the backbone of the SPACES website and toolkit materials.

This work package shaped SPACES by ensuring that:

• stories were authentic, relatable, and varied

• emotional, social, and practical factors were represented

• stories matched key behaviour‑change mechanisms

• no single viewpoint dominated

• the intervention speaks to women’s real pressures and realities

What happened next

We created the SPACES website and leaflet, where the stories are linked with action oriented toolkits to support self-guided change. Mid‑life women helped us test whether the SPACES materials feel useful, supportive and relevant to real‑life situations.