The Coping Strategies Scale (CSS; Litt et al., 2003) was used to assess coping skills, to determine if increasing network support for abstinence led to enhanced coping. Subjects rated the frequency (from 0 = never to 4 = frequently) of utilizing each of 59 strategies to resist drinking in the prior 3 months. The CSS total score was computed by summing the ratings of the 59 items, and the internal reliability exceeded α = .96 at each of the follow-ups.
