Effects of Administered Alcohol on Intimate Partner Interactions in a Conflict Resolution Paradigm

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective: Although couples' alcohol use has been associated with intimate partner aggression and poorer marital functioning, few studies have examined the proximal effects of alcohol on couple interactions. The current experimental study examined the effects of alcohol, administered independently to male and female intimate partners, on positive and negative interaction behaviors within a naturalistic confl ict resolution paradigm. Method: Married and cohabiting couples (n = 152) were recruited from the community and each partner randomly assigned to receive either alcohol (target dose: .08 mg/kg) or no alcohol. They engaged in two 15-minute interactions regarding current disagreements in their relationship, one before and one after beverage administration. Videotaped interactions were coded by trained observers using the Rapid Marital Interaction Coding System, and positive and negative interaction behaviors were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Results: Participants displayed decreased negativity and increased positivity following alcohol consumption when their partners were sober but no differences in negativity or positivity when their partners also consumed alcohol. There were no gender differences. Although participants with a history of perpetrating intimate partner aggression displayed more negativity, prior aggression did not interact with beverage condition. Conclusions: The immediate effects of alcohol consumption on couple interaction behaviors appeared more positive than negative. Contrary to hypotheses, congruent partner drinking had neither particularly positive nor particularly negative effects. These unique fi ndings represent a rare glimpse into the immediate consequences of alcohol consumption on couple interaction and stand in contrast to its delayed or long-term effects. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 75, 249-258, 2014)

Relationship Quality and Alcohol-Related Social Reinforcement During Couples Interaction

“…The current study used alcohol-administration methods combined with a couples’ conflict paradigm in order to explore the link between relationship quality and acute alcohol response among interacting couples. Previous analyses suggested positive effects of alcohol on couples’ behaviors (Testa et al, 2014); however, consistent with hypotheses, the current analyses revealed that these effects were largely specific to individuals unhappy in their intimate partnerships.…”

“…Interrater agreement was acceptable (67%, average Cohen’s Kappa=.50). Consistent with our own prior work (e.g., Fairbairn & Sayette, 2013; Sayette et al, 2012; Testa et al, 2014), as well as other work in this tradition (see Fairbairn et al, 2015 for a review), we did not explore each negative and positive behavioral code separately, but instead summed across all codes within each category to create composite negative and positive behavioral frequency indexes. Here, as elsewhere (e.g., Cranford, Tennen, & Zucker, 2015), we found that several of the negative behaviors (e.g., psychological abuse, withdrawal) did not manifest with sufficient frequency to permit independent examination of these behaviors.…”

The proximal effects of acute alcohol use on female aggression: A meta-analytic review of the experimental literature.

“…Two studies appearing in the same article made us of a negative evaluative feedback paradigm (Rohsenow & Bachorowski, 1984). The remaining studies used a teacher/learner method (Gustafson, 1991), the conflict resolution paradigm in which romantic partners discuss an issue upon which they disagree (Testa, Crane, Quigley, Levitt, & Leonard, 2014), a first-person video vignette in which participants were asked to provide likely behavioral responses to provocation (Ogle & Miller, 2004), and the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations paradigm (ATSS; Davison, Robins, & Johnson, 1983) in which participants verbally respond to ambiguous audio interactions between a simulated romantic partner and various other individuals (Eckhardt & Crane, 2008). …”

Daily reports of intimate partner verbal aggression by self and partner: Short-term consequences and implications for measurement.

“…To be eligible, both partners drank four or more drinks on an occasion at least once per month; neither partner reported medical contraindications to alcohol consumption or met criteria for alcohol dependence; and neither partner reported extremely severe partner violence (e.g., use of weapon, injury requiring medical attention). Additional details regarding recruitment and screening are provided in Testa and Derrick (2014) and Testa et al (2014).…”