In this study, we focused on romantic relationships, as epidemiological research has consistently shown that being in committed relationships is associated with health benefits [23]. Alcohol use patterns vary as a function of relationship/marital status. Those in committed relationships (especially marriage) engage in less problem drinking [24,25] and have a lower risk for alcohol use disorder [26,27] than those who are not married, and these findings are generally consistent across males and females. This reduction in risky behaviors is due in part to increased social control and monitoring associated with being in a relationship [23], as well as individuals’ motivation to align their behavior with the social expectations typically associated with the spousal role [28,29]. Although marriage-like relationships are linked with health benefits for both married men and women [30], men, in general, benefit more from marriage than women through positive life-styles with fewer health-deteriorating behaviors [31,32]. Theoretical reasoning of sex differences in the potential protective effects of marriage is complex, but marriage appears to provide more social control for men, with empirical evidence demonstrating that women engage in greater
