This study examines alcohol and cannabis use within emerging adults’ committed romantic relationships and its association with relationship functioning (satisfaction, stability) and well-being (life satisfaction, anxiety, depression). Participants completed surveys in 2020 and 2021 (N = 1214). Latent profile analysis identified four classes of couples’ substance use patterns: concordant (similar) infrequent use (81.9% of sample), near-daily partner cannabis use (6.0%), near-daily respondent cannabis use (6.5%), and concordant moderate alcohol and near-daily cannabis use (5.5%). Cross-sectionally, respondents who reported concordant infrequent use had significantly higher well-being than those who reported concordant heavier use; there were no class differences involving the two types of discordant couples. In general, class membership did not predict changes in well-being or relationship functioning over a 1-year period. Results provide new insights into patterns of both alcohol and cannabis use within committed romantic relationships of emerging adults that may have implications for well-being during this developmental period.
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