Table 2.
Unstandardized estimates from structural equation models for association of alcohol use with five dimensions of relationship quality (RQ from baseline Uthando Lwethu data with 443 couples (886 individuals).
| Model 1: Intimacy | Male RQ | Female RQ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Estimate | SE | p | Estimate | SE | p |
| Non-hazardous drinker (AUDIT=1-3) | −0.122 | 0.082 | 0.140 | 0.139 | 0.102 | 0.175 |
| Hazardous drinker (AUDIT=4+) | −0.097 | 0.063 | 0.128 | 0.195 | 0.086 | 0.025 |
| Married | −0.309 | 0.111 | 0.006 | −0.131 | 0.117 | 0.265 |
| Relationship duration (years) | 0.001 | 0.006 | 0.854 | −0.001 | 0.006 | 0.795 |
| Age of female partner (years) | −0.008 | 0.008 | 0.271 | 0.001 | 0.008 | 0.872 |
| Age of male partner (years) | 0.017 | 0.007 | 0.009 | 0.019 | 0.008 | 0.013 |
| Model 2: Trust | Male RQ | Female RQ | ||||
| Variable | Estimate | SE | p | Estimate | SE | p |
| Non-hazardous drinker (AUDIT=1-3) | −0.036 | 0.088 | 0.686 | 0.09 | 0.085 | 0.293 |
| Hazardous drinker (AUDIT=4+) | −0.213 | 0.081 | 0.008 | −0.077 | 0.071 | 0.28 |
| Married | 0.169 | 0.107 | 0.113 | 0.079 | 0.133 | 0.552 |
| Relationship duration (years) | −0.002 | 0.006 | 0.646 | 0.000 | 0.006 | 0.926 |
| Age of female partner (years) | −0.008 | 0.008 | 0.288 | 0.006 | 0.007 | 0.417 |
| Age of male partner (years) | −0.023 | 0.008 | 0.002 | 0.005 | 0.008 | 0.497 |
| Model 3: Mutually Constructive Communication | Male RQ | Female RQ | ||||
| Variable | Estimate | SE | p | Estimate | SE | p |
| Non-hazardous drinker (AUDIT=1-3) | −0.171 | 0.134 | 0.201 | 0.039 | 0.121 | 0.748 |
| Hazardous drinker (AUDIT=4+) | −0.112 | 0.104 | 0.277 | −0.011 | 0.085 | 0.901 |
| Married | 0.156 | 0.194 | 0.422 | 0.037 | 0.188 | 0.842 |
| Relationship duration (years) | −0.010 | 0.011 | 0.343 | −0.003 | 0.009 | 0.756 |
| Age of female partner (years) | −0.005 | 0.013 | 0.686 | 0.012 | 0.009 | 0.195 |
| Age of male partner (years) | 0.017 | 0.011 | 0.140 | 0.002 | 0.010 | 0.792 |
| Model 4: Demand/Withdraw Communication | Male RQ | Female RQ | ||||
| Variable | Estimate | SE | p | Estimate | SE | p |
| Non-hazardous drinker (AUDIT=1-3) | −0.175 | 0.217 | 0.421 | 0.254 | 0.234 | 0.277 |
| Hazardous drinker (AUDIT=4+) | −0.079 | 0.165 | 0.633 | 0.739 | 0.181 | <0.001 |
| Married | 0.231 | 0.415 | 0.577 | −0.551 | 0.444 | 0.215 |
| Relationship duration (years) | −0.004 | 0.018 | 0.819 | 0.030 | 0.019 | 0.122 |
| Age of female partner (years) | 0.023 | 0.019 | 0.225 | 0.005 | 0.021 | 0.802 |
| Age of male partner (years) | −0.036 | 0.019 | 0.059 | −0.014 | 0.019 | 0.462 |
| Model 5: Satisfaction | Male RQ | Female RQ | ||||
| Variable | Estimate | SE | p | Estimate | SE | p |
| Non-hazardous drinker (AUDIT=1-3) | −0.002 | 0.058 | 0.961 | 0.064 | 0.078 | 0.409 |
| Hazardous drinker (AUDIT=4+) | 0.000 | 0.049 | 0.984 | −0.103 | 0.061 | 0.093 |
| Married | −0.048 | 0.112 | 0.667 | −0.053 | 0.164 | 0.746 |
| Relationship duration (years) | 0.006 | 0.005 | 0.242 | 0.000 | 0.007 | 0.939 |
| Age of female partner (years) | −0.006 | 0.006 | 0.268 | 0.008 | 0.007 | 0.250 |
| Age of male partner (years) | 0.005 | 0.006 | 0.377 | 0.000 | 0.006 | 0.890 |
Note. Higher scores on RQ variables indicate higher RQ. Structural equation models were fit using the maximum likelihood estimator in Stata with the Satorra-Bentler correction to account for non-normality in RQ variables. Drinking was modelled using dummy variables for non-hazardous (AUDIT score 1-3), and hazardous (AUDIT score +4) drinking. Scales were modelled as indicator variables rather than latent variables. Separate models were used for each outcome RQ variable, controlling for age of both partners, marital status, and relationship duration (mean of both partners’ responses).