Project summary
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults disproportionately experience the burden of alcohol
use. Compared to cisgender straight individuals, SGM adults are more likely to drink heavily and
experience alcohol-related problems. Stressors—including discrimination and stigma—may
explain these disparities. Yet romantic partners may help to buffer against these stressors. The
current project examines how romantic relationships are associated with alcohol use among
SGM and cisgender straight couples. Data are drawn from the National Couples Health and
Time (NCHAT) study, a nationally representative dataset of cohabiting and married couples
collected between 2020-2021 that oversampled individuals in same-gender couples and
includes detailed measures for the main respondent (N=3,642), a separate survey of
spouses/partners (N=1,515), and appended measures of the broader state context. The study
has two primary aims. Aim 1 will examine whether romantic partnership characteristics (e.g.,
couple satisfaction, relationship risk, negative interaction) are associated with alcohol use (e.g.,
alcohol-related coping, heavy drinking, alcohol problems). We will examine whether patterns
differ for cisgender straight and SGM couples (i.e., between-person differences) as well as
examine associations separately for gay men, lesbian women, bisexual men and bisexual
women (i.e., documenting within-group associations). Aim 2 examines how discrimination
stressors—of individuals, partners, and broader contexts—shape alcohol use. We identify
resilience factors (e.g., emotional support, couple satisfaction) that buffer against the
association between stress and alcohol use for SGM adults. This aim will be tested using actor
partner interdependence models (APIM) within a multi-level modeling framework. Findings from
the rigorous secondary analyses of this unique, nationally-representative sample of SGM adults
will inform policy, identify potential harm reduction strategies, and help target intervention
programs to those who need them most.
