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Symposia

Addictive Behaviors

Romantic Relationship Dynamics and Alcohol Use: Rigorous Science Aimed at Understanding Relationship Factors Related to Use and Efforts to Improve Treatment Outcomes by Involving Romantic Partners

2 - (SYM 21) Relationship-specific Motives for Alcohol Use in College Dating Couples: An EMA Study

Friday, November 21, 2025
5:22 PM - 5:06 PM CST
Location: Empire A, Level 2
Keywords: Addictive Behaviors, Couples / Close Relationships, Underserved Populations
Recommended Readings: McCrady, B.S., Wilson, A.D., Muñoz, R.E., Fink, B.C., Fokas, K. and Borders, A. (2016), Alcohol-Focused Behavioral Couple Therapy. Fam. Proc., 55: 443-459. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12231,   Derrick, J. L., Testa, M., Wang, W., & Leonard, K. E. (2023). Elixir of love or venom of violence: When does a drinking event result in couple intimacy or couple conflict?. Addictive behaviors, 136, 107488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107488,   Stewart, S. H., Rodriguez, L. M., Mackinnon, S. P., Brown, C. G., Arjona, R. N., Cosman, T., & Sherry, S. B. (2023). Links Between Romantic Relationship Dysfunction and Drinking Behaviors Are Moderated by Gender and Age. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 84(3), 465–475. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00278,   Leone, R. M., Jarnecke, A. M., Gilmore, A. K., & Flanagan, J. C. (2022). Alcohol use problems and conflict among couples: A preliminary investigation of the moderating effects of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Couple & family psychology, 11(4), 290–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000160,   Mutschler, C., Malivoire, B. L., Schumm, J. A., & Monson, C. M. (2022). Mechanisms and moderators of behavioural couples therapy for alcohol and substance use disorders: an updated review of the literature. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 50(3), 312–333. doi:10.1017/S1352465822000042
Abstract Body

Drinking within romantic relationships is influenced not only by individual factors but also by relationship-specific motivations. It is not clear how drinking for relationship-specific motives—such as enhancing closeness, making up after conflict, or having fun with a partner—impacts the amount of alcohol consumed in daily life. The present study examined relationship-specific drinking motives and alcohol use in an EMA study of dating couples. College students and their romantic partners (N = 117 couples) completed reports of alcohol use, drinking motives, and relationship interactions up to five times per day for two weeks. Mixed effects generalized linear models examined whether drinking for relationship-specific motives predicted the extent of alcohol consumption. The highest levels of drinking occurred when participants drank to have fun with their partner. Other relationship-specific motives, such as drinking to enhance closeness or make up after conflict, were inconsistently associated with alcohol consumption, with the extent of drinking depending on additional contextual factors. Partner effects also emerged, suggesting that one partner’s drinking motives influenced the other’s drinking behavior. These findings underscore the importance of considering relational contexts when examining drinking behaviors in young adults.