Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T14:19:54.682Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

11 - Family and Social Processes in Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder

from Part II - Meso Level

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2021

By
Amber M. Jarnecke ,
Delisa G. Brown  and
Alexander J. Melkonian
Edited by
Jalie A. Tucker  and
Katie Witkiewitz
Jalie A. Tucker
Affiliation:
University of Florida
Katie Witkiewitz
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico
Get access

Summary

Family and social processes play a critical role in the development, maintenance, and recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Individuals with AUD tend to have few social supports in place, and poor social supports can further exacerbate AUD symptoms. Positive social supports, however, can play a key role in AUD recovery and improving psychosocial functioning. This chapter reviews literature from multiple disciplines to identify key family and social processes in AUD and AUD recovery. The role of family and social processes in AUD development and maintenance is reviewed to identify potential targets for future intervention efforts. The various ways in which different forms of social support can contribute to recovery are also discussed. The chapter concludes with directions for future clinical practice and research.

Keywords

alcohol use disorderrecoverysocial supportfamilysocial functioningsocial processes
Type
Chapter
Information
Dynamic Pathways to Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder
Meaning and Methods
 , pp. 200 - 217
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashford, R. D., Giorgi, S., Mann, B., Pesce, C., Sherritt, L., Ungar, L., & Curtis, B. (2020). Digital recovery networks: Characterizing user participation, engagement, and outcomes of a novel recovery social network smartphone application. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 109, 50–55. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2019.11.005CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bachman, J. G., O’Malley, P. M., Schulenberg, J. E., Johnston, L. D., Bryant, A. L., & Merline, A. C. (2014). The decline of substance use in young adulthood: Changes in social activities, roles, and beliefs. Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Bachman, J. G., Wadsworth, K. N., O’Malley, P. M., Johnston, L. D., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2013). Smoking, drinking, and drug use in young adulthood: The impacts of new freedoms and new responsibilities. Psychology Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barrick, C., & Connors, G. J. (2002). Relapse prevention and maintaining abstinence in older adults with alcohol use disorders. Drugs & Aging, 19(8), 583–594. https://doi.org/10.2165/00002512-200219080-00004CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brooks, A. T., Magaña Lòpez, M., Ranucci, A., Krumlauf, M., & Wallen, G. R. (2017). A qualitative exploration of social support during treatment for severe alcohol use disorder and recovery. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 6, 76–82. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2017.08.002Google Scholar
Bryan, A. E. B., Kim, H.-J., & Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I. (2017). Factors associated with high-risk alcohol consumption among LGB older adults: The roles of gender, social support, perceived stress, discrimination, and stigma. The Gerontologist, 57(suppl_1), S95–S104. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw100CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buckman, J. F., Bates, M. E., & Morgenstern, J. (2008). Social support and cognitive impairment in clients receiving treatment for alcohol and drug use disorders: A replication study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 69(5), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2008.69.738Google Scholar
Caetano, R., Vaeth, P. A., & Canino, G. (2017). Family cohesion and pride, drinking and alcohol use disorder in Puerto Rico. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 43(1), 87–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2016.1225073Google Scholar
Cano, M. Á., Sánchez, M., Rojas, P., Ramírez-Ortiz, D., Polo, K. L., Romano, E., & De La Rosa, M. (2018). Alcohol use severity among adult Hispanic immigrants: Examining the roles of family cohesion, social support, and gender. Substance Use & Misuse, 53(4), 668–676. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2017.1356333Google Scholar
Choi, N. G., & DiNitto, D. M. (2011). Heavy/binge drinking and depressive symptoms in older adults: Gender differences. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(8), 860–868. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.2616Google Scholar
Chou, K. L., Liang, K., & Sareen, J. (2011). The association between social isolation and DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders: Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 72(11), 1468–1476. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.10m06019gryGoogle Scholar
Constantine, M. G., Gainor, K. A., Ahluwalia, M. K., & Berkel, L. A. (2003). Independent and interdependent self-construals, individualism, collectivism, and harmony control in African Americans. Journal of Black Psychology, 29(1), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798402239230CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dinescu, D., Turkheimer, E., Beam, C. R., Horn, E. E., Duncan, G., & Emery, R. E. (2016). Is marriage a buzzkill? A twin study of marital status and alcohol consumption. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(6), 698. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000221Google Scholar
Ewing, B. A., Osilla, K. C., Pedersen, E. R., Hunter, S. B., Miles, J. N. V., & D’Amico, E. J. (2015). Longitudinal family effects on substance use among an at-risk adolescent sample. Addictive Behaviors, 41, 185–191. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.10.017CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fergusson, D. M., Boden, J. M., & John Horwood, L. (2012). Transition to parenthood and substance use disorders: Findings from a 30-year longitudinal study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 125(3), 295–300. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.03.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flanagan, J. C., Jarnecke, A. M., Leone, R. M., & Oesterle, D. W. (2020). Effects of couple conflict on alcohol craving: Does intimate partner violence play a role?Addictive Behaviors, 109, 106474. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106474Google Scholar
Groh, D. R., Jason, L. A., Davis, M. I., Olson, B. D., & Ferrari, J. R. (2007). Friends, family, and alcohol abuse: An examination of general and alcohol-specific social support. American Journal on Addictions, 16(1), 49–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550490601080084CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guo, G., Elder, G. H., Cai, T., & Hamilton, N. (2009). Gene–environment interactions: Peers’ alcohol use moderates genetic contribution to adolescent drinking behavior. Social Science Research, 38(1), 213–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2008.04.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guo, J., Hawkins, J. D., Hill, K. G., & Abbott, R. D. (2001). Childhood and adolescent predictors of alcohol abuse and dependence in young adulthood. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62(6), 754–762. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.2001.62.754Google Scholar
Hall, J. (2007). Kinship ties: Attachment relationships that promote resilience in African American adult children of alcoholics. Advances in Social Work, 8, 130–140. https://doi.org/10.18060/136CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henry, K. L., Fulco, C. J., Agbeke, D. V., & Ratcliff, A. M. (2018). Intergenerational continuity in substance abuse: Does offspring’s friendship network make a difference? Journal of Adolescent Health, 63(2), 205–212. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.02.014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, J., Emery, R. E., Harden, K. P., Mendle, J., & Turkheimer, E. (2008). Alcohol use in adolescent twins and affiliation with substance using peers. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36(1), 81–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802–007-9161-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holden, C. L., & Rollins, P. (2019). Discrepant alcohol use, conflict, and couples satisfaction in a community sample. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 47(5), 311–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2019.1658554Google Scholar
Humphreys, K., Blodgett, J. C., & Wagner, T. H. (2014). Estimating the efficacy of Alcoholics Anonymous without self-selection bias: An instrumental variables re-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 38(11), 2688–2694. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.12557CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kerr, D. C., Capaldi, D. M., Pears, K. C., & Owen, L. D. (2012). Intergenerational influences on early alcohol use: Independence from the problem behavior pathway. Developmental Psychopathology, 24(3), 889–906. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579412000430CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klostermann, K., & Mignone, T. (2019). Behavioral couples therapy for substance use disorders. Social Behavior Research and Practice, 3(1), 25–27. https://doi.org/10.17140/SBRPOJ-3-113CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klostermann, K., & O’Farrell, T. J. (2021). Couple and family therapy in treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse. In el-Guebaly, N., Carrà, G., Galanter, M., & Baldacchino, A. M. (Eds.), Textbook of Addiction Treatment: International Perspectives (pp. 447–458). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36391-8_31Google Scholar
Kretsch, N., & Harden, K. P. (2014). Marriage, divorce, and alcohol use in young adulthood: A longitudinal sibling-comparison study. Emerging Adulthood, 2(2), 138–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696813513260Google Scholar
Landau, J., & Garrett, J. (2008). Invitational intervention: The ARISE model for engaging reluctant alcohol and other drug abusers in treatment. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 26(1-2), 147–168. https://doi.org/10.1300/J020v26n01_08Google Scholar
Lau-Barraco, C., Braitman, A. L., Leonard, K. E., & Padilla, M. (2012). Drinking buddies and their prospective influence on alcohol outcomes: Alcohol expectancies as a mediator. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 26(4), 747–758. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028909CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lau-Barraco, C., & Collins, R. L. (2011). Social networks and alcohol use among nonstudent emerging adults: A preliminary study. Addictive Behaviors, 36(1-2), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.08.017Google Scholar
Le Berre, A.-P. (2019). Emotional processing and social cognition in alcohol use disorder. Neuropsychology, 33(6), 808–821. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000572CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, J. Y., Brook, J. S., Nezia, N., & Brook, D. W. (2016). Adolescent predictors of alcohol use in adulthood: A 22-year longitudinal study. American Journal on Addictions, 25(7), 549–556. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajad.12438Google Scholar
Leonard, K. E., & Eiden, R. D. (2007). Marital and family processes in the context of alcohol use and alcohol disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3(1), 285–310. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.3.022806.091424Google Scholar
Leonard, K. E., & Mudar, P. (2003). Peer and partner drinking and the transition to marriage: A longitudinal examination of selection and influence processes. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 17(2), 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.17.2.115Google Scholar
Leung, R. K., Toumbourou, J. W., & Hemphill, S. A. (2014). The effect of peer influence and selection processes on adolescent alcohol use: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Health Psychology Review, 8(4), 426–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2011.587961Google Scholar
Litt, D. M., Lewis, M. A., Rhew, I. C., Hodge, K. A., & Kaysen, D. L. (2015). Reciprocal relationships over time between descriptive norms and alcohol use in young adult sexual minority women. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 29(4), 885–893. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000122CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Litt, M. D., Kadden, R. M., Kabela-Cormier, E., & Petry, N. M. (2009). Changing network support for drinking: Network support project 2-year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(2), 229–242. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015252Google Scholar
Liu, Y., Kornfield, R., Shaw, B. R., Shah, D. V., McTavish, F., & Gustafson, D. H. (2020). Giving and receiving social support in online substance use disorder forums: How self-efficacy moderates effects on relapse. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(6), 1125–1133. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2019.12.015Google Scholar
McCrady, B., Wilson, A., Muñoz, R., Fink, B., Fokas, K., & Borders, A. (2016). Alcohol-focused behavioral couple therapy. Family Process, 55(3), 443–459. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12231CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCrady, B. S., Wilson, A., Fink, B., Borders, A., Muñoz, R., & Fokas, K. (2019). A consumer’s eye view of family-involved alcohol treatment. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 37(1), 43–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2018.1482245Google Scholar
Meque, I., Salom, C., Betts, K. S., & Alati, R. (2019). Predictors of alcohol use disorders among young adults: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 54(3), 310–324. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agz020Google Scholar
Min, M. O., Tracy, E. M., Kim, H., Park, H., Jun, M., Brown, S., McCarty, C., & Laudet, A. (2013). Changes in personal networks of women in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 45(4), 325–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2013.04.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osgood, D. W., Ragan, D. T., Wallace, L., Gest, S. D., Feinberg, M. E., & Moody, J. (2013). Peers and the emergence of alcohol use: Influence and selection processes in adolescent friendship networks. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23(3), 500–512. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12059Google Scholar
Pettersen, H., Landheim, A., Skeie, I., Biong, S., Brodahl, M., Oute, J., & Davidson, L. (2019). How social relationships influence substance use disorder recovery: A collaborative narrative study. Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, 13, 1178221819833379. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178221819833379Google Scholar
Philip, J., Ford, T., Henry, D., Rasmus, S., & Allen, J. (2016). Relationship of social network to protective factors in suicide and alcohol use disorder intervention for rural Yup’ik Alaska native youth. Psychosocial Intervention, 25(1), 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psi.2015.08.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pittman, D. M., Quayson, A. A., Rush, C. R., & Minges, M. L. (2019). Revisiting resilience: Examining the relationships between stress, social support, and drinking behavior among black college students with parental substance use disorder histories. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2019.1707142Google Scholar
Powers, M. B., Vedel, E., & Emmelkamp, P. M. (2008). Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) for alcohol and drug use disorders: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(6), 952–962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.02.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reid, A. E., & Carey, K. B. (2018). Why is social network drinking associated with college students’ alcohol use? Focus on psychological mediators. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 32(4), 456. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000374Google Scholar
Rodriguez, L. M., Neighbors, C., & Knee, C. R. (2014). Problematic alcohol use and marital distress: An interdependence theory perspective. Addiction Research & Theory, 22(4), 294–312. https://doi.org/10.3109/16066359.2013.841890Google Scholar
Roozen, H. G., de Waart, R., & van der Kroft, P. (2010). Community reinforcement and family training: An effective option to engage treatment-resistant substance-abusing individuals in treatment. Addiction, 105(10), 1729–1738. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03016.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salvatore, J. E., Larsson Lönn, S., Sundquist, J., Sundquist, K., & Kendler, K. S. (2020). Disentangling social-genetic from rearing-environment effects for alcohol use disorder using Swedish national data. Psychological Science, 31(9), 1140–1149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620931542Google Scholar
Scholte, R. H. J., Poelen, E. A. P., Willemsen, G., Boomsma, D. I., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2008). Relative risks of adolescent and young adult alcohol use: The role of drinking fathers, mothers, siblings, and friends. Addictive Behaviors, 33(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.04.015Google Scholar
Segura, Y. L., Page, M. C., Neighbors, B. D., Nichols-Anderson, C., & Gillaspy, S. (2004). The importance of peers in alcohol use among Latino adolescents: The role of alcohol expectancies and acculturation. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 2(3), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.1300/J233v02n03_02Google Scholar
Sher, K. J., Gershuny, B. S., Peterson, L., & Raskin, G. (1997). The role of childhood stressors in the intergenerational transmission of alcohol use disorders. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58(4), 414–427. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.1997.58.414Google Scholar
Stevens, E., Jason, L. A., Ram, D., & Light, J. (2015). Investigating social support and network relationships in substance use disorder recovery. Substance Abuse, 36(4), 396–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2014.965870CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Su, J., Kuo, S. I. C., Meyers, J. L., Guy, M. C., & Dick, D. M. (2018). Examining interactions between genetic risk for alcohol problems, peer deviance, and interpersonal traumatic events on trajectories of alcohol use disorder symptoms among African American college students. Developmental Psychopathology, 30(5), 1749–1761. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579418000962Google Scholar
Talley, A. E., Gilbert, P. A., Mitchell, J., Goldbach, J., Marshall, B. D. L., & Kaysen, D. (2016). Addressing gaps on risk and resilience factors for alcohol use outcomes in sexual and gender minority populations. Drug and Alcohol Review, 35(4), 484–493. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12387Google Scholar
Trucco, E. M., Colder, C. R., Wieczorek, W. F., Lengua, L. J., & Hawk, L. W. Jr., (2014). Early adolescent alcohol use in context: How neighborhoods, parents, and peers impact youth. Developmental Psychopathology, 26(2), 425–436. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579414000042Google Scholar
Tucker, J. A., Chandler, S. D., & Witkiewitz, K. (2020). Epidemiology of recovery from alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Research : Current Reviews, 40(3), 02. https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v40.3.02Google Scholar
Tucker, J. A., Cheong, J., Chandler, S. D., Crawford, S. M., & Simpson, C. A. (2015). Social networks and substance use among at-risk emerging adults living in disadvantaged urban areas in the southern United States: A cross-sectional naturalistic study. Addiction, 110(9), 1524–1532. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.13010Google Scholar
Verhulst, B., Neale, M. C., & Kendler, K. S. (2015). The heritability of alcohol use disorders: A meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies. Psychological Medicine, 45(5), 1061–1072. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291714002165Google Scholar
Whisman, M. A., Uebelacker, L. A., & Bruce, M. L. (2006). Longitudinal association between marital dissatisfaction and alcohol use disorders in a community sample. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(1), 164–167. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.164Google Scholar
Whiteman, S. D., Jensen, A. C., & Maggs, J. L. (2014). Similarities and differences in adolescent siblings’ alcohol-related attitudes, use, and delinquency: Evidence for convergent and divergent influence processes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(5), 687–697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964–013-9971-zGoogle Scholar
Wood, M. D., Read, J. P., Mitchell, R. E., & Brand, N. H. (2004). Do parents still matter? Parent and peer influences on alcohol involvement among recent high school graduates. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.18.1.19Google Scholar
Yalom, I. D. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed). Basic Books.Google Scholar
Zapolski, T. C., Fisher, S., Hsu, W. W., & Barnes, J. (2016). What can parents do? Examining the role of parental support on the negative relationship between racial discrimination, depression, and drug use among African American youth. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(4), 718–731. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702616646371Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×