Background This research examined gender differences in alcoholic beverages participation and marital relationships among probands having a history 1-year alcoholic beverages make use of disorder (AUD). response (IVR) program every evening for 14 consecutive evenings and reported on the spouse��s positive Rabbit polyclonal to Anillin. and negative marital behaviors. Outcomes In comparison to male probands feminine probands reported a) even more adverse marital interactions in the last month; b) higher degrees of adverse reciprocity and a lesser positive-to-negative ratio within the marital discussion job; and c) even more daily and nightly marital turmoil on the 14-day diary period. Unfavorable marital behaviors in the evening by female spouses were associated with higher odds of intoxication among male probands on the following day. By contrast a) unfavorable marital behaviors by male spouses were cross-sectionally associated with higher odds of intoxication among female probands within the same day; and b) positive marital behaviors by male spouses during the day were associated with lower odds of intoxication among female probands that night. Conclusions Marital conflict assessed via multiple methods over multiple time scales appears to be more frequent among female compared to male alcoholics. Marital conflict predicts daily intoxication among male and female probands. 1 Introduction The present study used self-report behavioral observation and daily process methods (Mohr et al. 2010 to examine gender differences in the associations between alcohol involvement and marital interactions among married alcoholics. Extensive evidence has documented relationships between alcohol involvement and unfavorable marital interactions marital dissatisfaction and marital violence (Leonard & Eiden 2007 Marshal 2003 and relationship factors are important predictors of treatment outcomes among adults with alcohol and other material use disorders (McCrady et al. 2009 for a review see O��Farrell & Clements 2012 Yet consistent with studies showing gender differences in the associations between marital functioning and health (e.g. Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton 2001 there is some evidence that this association between alcohol involvement (including alcohol use disorders or AUDs) and marital discord may be stronger for women than men (Paolino et al. 1978 Several theoretical models can illuminate the nature of the association between alcohol involvement and marital interactions. Karney and DBeq Bradbury��s (1995) Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation (VSA) model of marriage hypothesizes that this development of marital quality and stability are influenced by three broad classes of variables: 1) (e.g. marital interactions that involve problem-solving). Psychiatric disorders such as AUD are enduring vulnerabilities that may a) confer greater risk of exposure to stressors and b) compromise couples�� coping efforts (Bruce 1998 Johns et al. 2007 Consistent with this hypothesis evidence showed that more than 80% of women and men seeking counseling for marital problems reported frequent marital disagreements about alcohol use (Halford & Ogarsby 1993 A more general theoretical model of linkages between marriage and physical health was advanced by Kiecolt-Glaser and Newton (2001). They reviewed evidence that positive marital interactions are directly associated with lower probability of risky health behaviors. Evidence also showed that ��marital conflict may be both a precursor and consequence of alcohol and drug abuse�� (p. 491). Kiecolt-Glaser and Newton summarized several lines of research showing that this physiological DBeq effects of unfavorable marital interactions are stronger for women than men (e.g. Kiecolt-Glaser et al. 1993 Consistent with this model Kessler et al. (1998) reported that AUDs were significantly associated with divorce DBeq for women but not for men and Ramisetty-Mikler and Caetano (2005) found that female (but not male) alcohol problems predicted higher odds of marital separation over time. Other longitudinal evidence showed that wives�� (but not husbands��) AUDs predicted their own and their husband��s marital dissatisfaction (Cranford et al. 2011 and a study using behavioral observation methods found higher levels of negativity and lower levels of positivity in couples with a female alcoholic proband compared to couples with a male alcoholic proband or no alcoholic DBeq proband (Haber & Jacob 1997 However a study based on a nationally representative sample found no evidence for gender differences in the relationship between AUD and marital dissolution (Cranford 2014 The present study used multiple.