Social Support as a Protective Factor for Alcohol Use Disorders: Results from a Nationally Representative Family History Study.

This article investigates the buffering effect of social support on the relationship between family history and alcohol use disorder symptoms (AUDsx) using data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The study employs a weighted density measure of family history of AUDsx and the 12-item Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12) to assess perceived social support. Results indicate that family history is positively associated with AUDsx, while higher levels of social support are linked to fewer AUDsx, with social support reducing the impact of family history on AUDsx. These findings highlight the potential importance of social support as an environmental factor that may mitigate genetic or familial risk for AUDs. The study suggests that enhancing social support could be beneficial in prevention and recovery efforts for individuals at risk of or experiencing AUDs.