CORTISOL REACTIVITY FOLLOWING CONFLICT PREDICTS ALCOHOL USE IN SUBSTANCE MISUSING COUPLES

A robust literature links social stress exposure to alcohol use and associated cognitions such as craving. Romantic relationships are a particularly salient social stressor and conflict interactions are a risk factor for alcohol misuse. Understanding the relationship between couples' return to baseline neuroendocrine levels following conflict may help to identify important individual and dyadic differences associated with alcohol misuse. The present study is a secondary data analysis (see [blinded]). Participants were 30 different-sex couples (N = 60) with current alcohol or drug misuse. Couples participated in a 10-min conflict conversation with salivary cortisol measured before conflict (Time 1), immediately following conflict (Time 2) and after a 45-min rest period (Time 3), with increased cortisol indicating an increased stress response. Partners who had more decrease in cortisol from Time 2 to Time 3 had significantly less days of alcohol use over the previous 90 days (B = -69.94, SE = 30.62, p = .022). Additionally, partners with lower relationship satisfaction had significantly more days of alcohol use over the previous 90 days (B = -.57, SE = .15, p < .001), and significantly more standard drinks over the previous 90 days (B = -4.87, SE = 2.49, p = .05). These findings were qualified by an interaction such that partners with lower decrease in cortisol and lower relationship functioning reported significantly more drinking days and total standard drinks. These findings suggest that greater alcohol use may be associated with poorer relationship functioning. Additionally, in a controlled laboratory setting, slower neuroendocrine recovery from the stress of relationship conflict may be a risk factor for alcohol misuse, regardless of relationship satisfaction.