Severity of Alcohol Misuse and the Frequency of Arguments Negatively Impacting Relationships Among Latino/Hispanics

Background and Purpose

Alcohol misuse has significant implications for personal relationships and community stability. Nearly 24% of couples report frequent arguments when alcohol is involved (American Addiction Center, 2023). Latino/Hispanic populations experience particularly high rates of alcohol misuse, including binge and heavy drinking, which have been linked to relationship instability, mental health issues, and financial problems (Cano et al., 2020; Worby et al., 2014). This study analyzes the connection between alcohol misuse severity and the frequency of arguments among Latino/Hispanic individuals, with the goal of informing interventions that aim to improve relationship quality and reduce domestic conflict.

Methods:

This study utilizes secondary data from a subsample of Latino/Hispanic participants (n = 11,068) in the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The NSDUH used multistage probability sampling to ensure a representative sample of the U.S. population aged 12 and older. Survey participants self-reported their alcohol use in the past year, which was classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on DSM-5 criteria. Participants reported their frequency of arguments by responding to the question: “During the past 12 months, did you often have arguments or other problems with family or friends that were caused or made worse by your alcohol use?” Given the dichotomous nature of responses, we used logistic regression to analyze the data. The model also includes controlled variables gender, age, and household income, to account for demographic effects on the relationship between alcohol misuse and arguments.

Results

The model explained approximately 31.7% of the variance in frequency of arguments and conflict. The severity of participants’ alcohol use disorder had a statistically significant effect on the frequency of arguments with family and friends. Specifically, those who met criteria for moderate alcohol use disorder were 4.5 times more likely to report arguments or other problems associated with their use compared to those with a mild or no alcohol use disorder (OR = 4.54, p > 0.000). While those you met criteria for severe alcohol use disorder were nearly 41 times more likely to report arguments or other problems associated with their use compared to those with mild or no alcohol use disorder (OR = 41.74, p > 0.00). Among the controlled variables (age, income, and gender) were not statistically significant effects on arguments and other problems.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the severity of one’s alcohol use disorder predicts experiences of conflict within their personal relationships, thus increasing the potential social and psychological consequences of untreated alcohol misuse. Furthermore, in our data only 5% of Hispanics reported receiving mental health services. This is a concerning issue that illuminates their increased vulnerability to the aggravations of life stress, mental health problems, and alcohol use disorders. This lack of outreach, availability, or accessibility to services can emanate from sources such as cultural barriers, stigma, or a lack of awareness of available resources. Some barriers clearly impede treatment seeking and augment substance misuse: language, cultural competence, and/or trusting in the system for support.