Prospective associations between perceived social connection and alcohol use: a scoping review

Social connection consists of both the presence of and perceived closeness in social relationships. Perceptions of connection are thought to be particularly important in the development and treatment of excessive alcohol use. However, no review has delineated existing work regarding the prospective associations between perceived social connection and alcohol use and related problems. Therefore, the current study synthesized and qualitatively organized this area of research to inform theoretical models, clinical care, and future research. A Boolean search resulted in 2,356 articles and 70 met inclusion criteria, which consisted of a repeated measures design and the presence of a perceived social connection predictor variable and alcohol-related outcome variable. Study design features, methods of measurement, and main effects were extracted from included articles. Most studies used an observational design with an average follow-up period of 1.5 years. Variables related to perceived social connection were organized into four categories: perceived support, emotional intimacy, social rejection and acceptance, and social behaviors. Perceived support and intimacy were the most common predictor variables. Results suggested that perceptions of support, acceptance, and intimacy in close relationships may be salient vulnerability factors and/or intervention targets for excessive alcohol use and related difficulties. The findings also revealed gaps in the literature with regard to sample diversity and study design that warrant attention in future empirical work.