Social support, defined as perception of having support from and access to social connections (Lin et al., 1979), is considered a robust environmental factor associated alcohol use outcomes. Higher social support is associated with lower alcohol consumption and problems (Groh et al., 2007; Peirce et al., 2000), particularly during stressful periods (Steptoe et al., 1996). Social support is thought to be protective against alcohol use and problematic drinking by providing greater social control and/or buffering effects of stressful events, and to reduce individuals’ likelihood of drinking to cope (Brick et al., 2018; Humphreys et al., 1999). High social support from family, romantic partners, and friends have been shown to be negatively associated with alcohol use problems (Jarnecke & South, 2014). However, the role of social support may vary depending on the source of support. For example, in a sample of adult twins, social support from romantic partners was associated with fewer alcohol problems, but support from friends was not (Salvatore et al., 2015).
