ALCOHOL-INDUCED STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AS INFLUENCES OF THE ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSER'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

This study investigates the impacts of alcohol-induced stress and social support on individual health and well-being of alcoholics. Specifically, this dissertation study aimed to test: (a) the direct effect of alcohol-induced stress on three outcome variables that are relevant to an individual's health and well-being, (b) the direct effect of social support on three outcome variables, and (c) the interaction effect between alcohol-induced stress and social support on three outcome variables. This study also attempted to explore the roles of separate sources of social support in relation to three outcome variables. The results showed that stress due to alcohol abuse had direct effects on three outcome variables, indicating that high levels of perceived stress due to alcohol abuse contributed to lower life satisfaction, higher depressive symptoms, and higher physical health problems in alcoholics. It was also found that social support had a direct effect on individuals' health and well-being for two of the three outcomes studied. However, this study found no significant buffering effect of social support in the relationships between stress due to alcohol abuse and its negative outcomes