Substance use agreements: An exploratory study of dyadic coping processes related to substance use among male couples in the United States.

= 100) were cisgender adult males. Each couple included at least one partner who was aged 18-29; reported drug use and sexual HIV transmission risk; and was HIV-negative. Partners in 35 couples (70%) agreed about whether they had discussed substance use related concerns or not; in 36 couples (72%) partners concurred they had discussed the possibility of setting substance use limits; and in 9 couples (18%), both partners asserted that they had established a specific limit. In addition to abstinence, couples formed rules limiting the type, quantity, timing and motivational context of use. The 16 couples (32%) who discussed but did not set a limit provided open-ended responses that emphasized global desire for change, saw past failures as a barrier to current goal setting, or comprised partners who had different perceptions of the content discussions. Measures of substance use problems provided preliminary evidence they might covary with limit setting. Findings generally align with theories of interdependence and health. These posit that couples who have substance use concerns and can successfully negotiate shared limits may be more successful at regulating use.