An empirical typology of drinking partnerships and their relationship to marital functioning and drinking consequences

Using cluster analysis, we identified a natural typology of drinking partnerships in early marriage. We found an interpretable five-cluster solution that evidenced significant and meaningful relationships with both marital functioning and drinking consequences. Cluster profiles were derived from husbands' and wives' drinking frequencies, typical quantities, the percentage of couple's total drinking done in each other's presence, and the percentage of couples' drinking done in the home. Clusters characterized by high levels of consumption were not uniformly associated with lower marital quality. Moreover, significant relationships between the drinking partnerships and both marital functioning and alcohol consequences held after statistically controlling for husbands' and wives' monthly alcohol volumes. The multidimensional notion of a drinking partnership may be useful in future efforts to understand the implications of alcohol use for marriage and family life.