Examining the influence of alcohol consumption on the protective function of social support in reducing intimate partner violence among adolescent girls and young women

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a major public health and human rights concern in South Africa, particularly among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). While social support is widely recognized as a protective factor against IPV, its effectiveness may be compromised in contexts of alcohol use. This study investigated the influence of alcohol use on the risk of IPV and the moderating role of perceived social support in reducing this risk. This study used baseline data from the HERStory 1 study, a cross-sectional survey of 4,399 adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 years. Social support was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Multivariable logistic regression assessed main and interaction effects, with alcohol use as a moderator. Marginal effects and plots illustrated predicted IPV probabilities across social support and alcohol use levels. Emotional IPV (23.1%) was most prevalent, followed by physical (17.0%) and sexual (6.3%) IPV; 25.2% reported harmful alcohol use. Higher perceived social support was associated with reduced odds of emotional, physical, and sexual IPV across all support domains. Family and friends’ support showed strong protective associations. For example, family support was associated with lower odds of emotional (aOR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.42–0.66), physical (aOR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.45–0.75), and sexual IPV (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.29–0.58). In contrast, support from a significant other was not significantly associated with sexual IPV. Harmful alcohol use increased the odds of all IPV forms and attenuated the protective effects of social support. Additional age-stratified analyses indicated that social support was more consistently protective against IPV among adolescents (15–19 years) than young adults (20–24 years). Social support, particularly from family and friends, plays an important role in reducing IPV risk among young women, but its protective effect is diminished when alcohol use is present. These findings highlight the need for integrated IPV prevention strategies that strengthen external support networks and also address harmful alcohol use.