The Role of Social Support in Motivating Reductions in Alcohol Use: A Test of Three Models of Social Support in Alcohol‐Impaired Drivers

Abstract

Background: Social support has been linked to many therapeutic benefits (e.g., treatment retention, reduced posttreatment relapse) for individuals with alcohol use disorder. However, the positive impacts of social support have not been well-understood in the context of alcohol-impaired driving. This article examines the role of social support in motivating those with histories of DWI arrest to reduce alcohol use by testing three major models of social support: the Main-Effects model, the Buffering model, and the Optimal Matching model. Method: One hundred and nineteen participants with histories of DWI arrest were recruited from a correctional treatment facility (n = 59) and the local community (n = 60). Participants completed interviews to assess alcohol consumption, psychiatric/physical conditions, and psychosocial factors associated with drinking behavior (e.g., social support, alcohol-related problems, motivation to change). Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the three models. Additionally, the relative magnitude of the effects of general and recovery-specific social support was compared based on the Cumming’s (2004) approach of statistical inference of confidence intervals. Results: Overall social support was positively associated with some motivation to change (i.e., importance of change, confidence in change) among alcohol-impaired drivers, supporting the Main-Effects model. However, the impact of overall social support on motivation to change was not moderated by alcohol-related problems of individuals arrested for DWI, which did not confirm the Buffering model. Lastly, recovery-specific social support, rather than general social support, contributed to increasing motivation to reduce alcohol use, which supported the Optimal Matching model. Conclusion: These findings highlight the benefits of social support (i.e., increased motivation to change alcohol use) for alcohol-impaired drivers. Regardless of the severity of alcohol-related problems of alcohol-impaired drivers, social support had direct positive impacts on motivation to change. In particular, the results underscore that social support can be more effective when it is matched to the recovery effort of individuals, which is consistent with the Optimal Matching model.

An Assessment of the Psychosocial Evaluation for Early Liver Transplantation in Patients with Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis in the context of Alcohol Use Disorder, A Case Control Study

“…Similarly, the SIPAT and HPSS, with their focus on readiness for transplant and social support (8, 21) were correlated with our institutional assessment. This is comparable to prior research which identi es social support as a protective factor against relapse to alcohol use disorder (22,23). Interestingly, there was a statistical difference in the HRAR scores between the two groups even though it is composed of elements (24), which are also risk factors for AAH (6).…”

Gender Differences in the Psychosocial Determinants Underlying the Onset and Maintenance of Alcohol Use Disorder

“…Belonging support was negatively related to alcohol problems (e.g., losing a job because of drinking, having blackouts) ( Peirce et al, 1996 ). Moreover, both recovery-specific social support and overall social support were positively associated with increased motivation to reduce alcohol use and motivation to change, respectively, among a sample of individuals with problematic drinking ( Moon et al, 2019 ). Social support from both family and partner, measured by the extent to which the participant felt loved, esteemed by, and involved with others, was also reported as an important factor in maintaining remission following treatment for AUD ( Rumpf et al, 2002 ).…”

The Double Mediating Effect of Social Isolation and Emotional Support on Feelings of Entrapment and Motivation for Recovery among Korean Alcoholic Inpatients

“…This is because social isolation is closely related to the lack of emotional support [ 15 ], and less emotional support leads to less motivation for recovery [ 16 ]. Some studies found that social support, including emotional support, plays an important role in motivating alcoholic patients to change their problematic drinking behaviors [ 17 , 18 ]. Possibly, there is also less emotional support if inpatients are entrapped; therefore, this study tried to verify a model that include a path from a sense of entrapment to the motivation for recovery through emotional support.…”