Drinking concordance and relationship satisfaction in New Zealand couples

The aim of the study was to examine alcohol consumption patterns in New Zealand couples and the associations of these patterns with time spent drinking together and the level of satisfaction with the relationship.

Cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of New Zealand residents aged 18-70 on the combined electoral roll in 2007. Using reports of the respondents' own drinking patterns and their reports of their partners' drinking, couples were classified as concordant, mildly discordant or discordant for both their drinking frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed per typical drinking occasion. The level of concordance was compared by demographic characteristics and relationship type. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between levels of concordance and both time spent drinking as a couple and level of happiness in the relationship (both reported by the respondent).

The largest proportion of couples was classified as concordant for both frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed per typical drinking occasion regardless of the relationship type. For both drinking frequency and quantity per occasion, couples identified as discordant or mildly discordant were less likely to report having spent a large amount of time drinking with their partner (odds ratio 0.2-0.5). Reported level of happiness with the relationship was also associated with the degree of concordance of both drinking frequency and quantity.

These findings suggest that drinking frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed per typical drinking occasion are concordant in most intimate partnerships and that discordance in either is associated with a lower level of happiness within the relationship.