Discrepant substance use and marital functioning in newlywed couples

The configuration of partners' drinking patterns may be most critical to marital functioning. Implications of discrepant husband and wife smoking, drinking, and drug use for relationship quality at the transition to marriage were examined. Participants were 642 couples entering into their 1st marriage. Separate, self-administered questionnaires were completed at home by each partner. Both husbands and wives in couples in which only 1 partner drank heavily or used drags reported significantly lower marital quality than other spouses. Husband Use × Wife Use interactions were not significant for cigarette use, alcohol use, or regular drinking. Discrepancies in more deviant substance use behaviors may be most relevant to marital functioning.