Effects of couple drinking events on short-term relationship harmony and discord: An ecological momentary assessment study

Dyadic cannabis use, alcohol use and relationship satisfaction: A daily diary study

OBJECTIVE

Intimate relationships are important contexts for understanding individuals' substance use patterns and trajectories. Using a dyadic daily diary design reporting over 14 consecutive days, the present study examined the association between cannabis use, alcohol use, and momentary relationship satisfaction among adult couples METHOD: Eligible individuals on Prolific were invited to participate. We identified 33 couples where both partners participated. Participants completed a baseline survey and a 14-day daily diary study assessing their daily cannabis use, alcohol use, and relationship satisfaction. Multilevel modeling was used, within an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of one's own use and their partner's use on relationship satisfaction RESULTS: Significant actor and partner effects of alcohol and cannabis use were found using both baseline and daily report data. For individuals who use cannabis more heavily among sampled couples, cannabis and alcohol co-use was associated with reduction in their own next-day relationship satisfaction while alcohol-only use was significantly associated with increased next-day satisfaction. There were no significant effects of one's own or their partner's effects for individuals who use cannabis more lightly.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings replicate and extend prior research by demonstrating the dynamic nature of dyadic substance use and highlighting the unique impact of alcohol and cannabis co-use on daily relationship functioning.

Same-Day and Next-Day Associations Between Relational Factors and Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adult Couples

Objective

The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is high, with young adults at increased risk. IPV is largely understood as a dyadic process, as it involves both partners and is inherently influenced by the behaviors of both partners. The objective of this study was to examine the proximal influence of relationship satisfaction and conflict on same-day and nextday IPV perpetration among young adult couples.

Method

This study used data from young adult couples (N = 172) who completed a 60-day daily-diary design. The Actor Partner Interdependence Model was used to examine whether within- and between-person levels of relationship satisfaction and conflict were associated with same-day and next-day IPV perpetration.

Results

Results suggest that high levels of one's own and one's partner's relationship satisfaction was associated with low levels of same-day and next-day psychological IPV. For women, but not men, high levels in their own and their partner's relationship satisfaction were associated with low levels in same-day physical IPV perpetration. Conversely, high levels in one's own and their partner's conflict was associated with high levels of same-day psychological IPV perpetration. For women, but not men, high levels in their partner's conflict were associated with high levels of same-day physical IPV perpetration.

Conclusion

Results suggest that relationship dissatisfaction and conflict may be proximal risk factors for IPV perpetration, particularly psychological IPV perpetration, implying these factors may be effective targets for prevention and intervention.

Elixir of love or venom of violence: When does a drinking event result in couple intimacy or couple conflict?

The short-term consequences of drinking events may be positive or negative. Most studies have considered only one outcome, but people may experience different alcohol outcomes on different occasions, depending on the circumstances. The present study sought to identify predictors of drinking events that resulted in couple intimacy, conflict, or neither outcome using existing data from a 30-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study. Participants were a community sample of partnered, moderately drinking adults with a recent history of verbal or physical partner aggression (N = 249 couples). They provided reports of drinking events, intimacy and conflict events, and ratings of relationship harmony and discord in three randomly signaled reports each day. Mixed-effects multinomial analyses were used to compare predictors of drinking events that, within three hours, resulted in intimacy, conflict, or neither outcome. Consistent with previous research, characteristics of the drinker (individual tendencies to experience intimacy or conflict) and characteristics of the drinking event (alcohol quantity, drinking companions) both predicted drinking outcomes. Moreover, the pre-drinking relationship context predicted post-drinking relationship outcomes, consistent with the idea that alcohol focuses attention on salient contextual cues. Specifically, greater pre-drinking relationship harmony predicted greater likelihood of experiencing intimacy after drinking, whereas greater pre-drinking relationship discord predicted greater likelihood of experiencing conflict after drinking. In summary, characteristics of the drinker, the drinking event, and the pre-drinking relationship context contribute to the likelihood that a given drinking event will have short-term positive or negative relationship outcomes.