When examined in the same lagged model predicting alcohol abstinence (PDA), only reductions in pro-drinking network ties and increases in pro-abstinent network ties conferred a unique and independent effect across both patient samples and in the expected directions. This suggests that while reducing drinking-related and increasing abstinence-related social activities may be helpful for sobriety, it is by increasing engagement with pro-abstinent ties, while also decreasing engagement with pro-drinking ties, that may make the most difference to sobriety. The subsidiary analyses also highlight the fact that at this stage of the recovery process, it is the reduction in pro-drinking networks that confers the greatest benefit on abstinence and drinking intensity.
