Social Support and the Rehabilitation of Alcohol-Impaired Drivers: Drinking Motives as Moderators

ABSTRACT

Alcohol-impaired driving is a common and costly public health problem associated with alcohol misuse. This investigation aims to understand the role of social support and drinking motives in motivating alcohol-impaired drivers to reduce alcohol use. One hundred nineteen participants with a history of driving-while-intoxicated arrest were recruited from either a correctional treatment facility (n = 59) or the community (n = 60) and asked about their motivation to change alcohol use. Motivation to change was tested in relationships with two types of social support (i.e. Abstinence-Specific Social Support and General Social Support) and drinking motives (Coping, Enhancement, and Social Motives). The results showed: (1) only Abstinence-Specific Social Support was positively associated with motivation to change; (2) Coping and Social Motives had a negative association with motivation to change; (3) the impact of Abstinence-Specific Social Support on motivation to change was greater among those with a stronger Enhancement Motives. In other words, those who drink primarily for pleasure showed a greater increase in motivation to change when more Abstinence-Specific Social Support is available, compared to those with lower Enhancement Motives. The findings of this investigation contribute to our knowledge of the roles of communication in the rehabilitation of alcohol-impaired drivers.

Acknowledgments

Data collection for the purpose of needs assessment was supported by the Texas Medicaid 1115 Waiver program DHHS 085144601.2.6. Funding from the National Institutes of Health [award numbers R01AA014988; T32DA031115; and UL1TR001120] supported development of knowledge and expertise for evaluating and interpreting this assessment. Authors are solely responsible for the manuscript, which does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Funders had no role in the design, collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication. Dr. Donald M. Dougherty also gratefully acknowledges support from the William and Marguerite Wurzbach Distinguished Professor endowment. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. We gratefully acknowledge the technical contributions of: Philip Brink, Cameron Hunt, Stacy Ryan, and Krystal Shilling.