The pretreatment social networks of women with alcohol dependence

Research indicates that the social networks of women differ from those of men. Although studies indicate that social support greatly affects alcohol use, little attention has been paid to gender differences in this area. The objective of the current study is to examine the pretreatment social networks of women seeking conjoint treatment for an alcohol-use disorder.

As part of a larger randomized clinical trial, 102 women in committed heterosexual relationships who were seeking treatment for an alcohol-use disorder at an outpatient clinic were interviewed before treatment entry. Participants completed the Important People and Activities Instrument to assess the size and composition of the women's social networks. Pretreatment drinking was assessed using the Timeline Followback interview.

Participants in this study reported fairly large supportive networks. Drinking quantity and frequency in the 3 months before treatment were examined in light of social network connection. Women with moderate/heavy drinking partners reported more drinking days but drank fewer drinks per drinking day than women with light drinking/abstaining partners. In addition, we found a positive association between the number of drinkers in the social network and the participant percentage of drinking days.

The main findings of this study were the significant interrelationships between moderate or heavy drinking among social network members and the drinking patterns of women with alcohol-use disorders.