Life events, drinking patterns and depressive symptomatology; the stress-buffering role of alcohol consumption.

Abstract

This paper examines the question of whether the relationship between life events and depressive symptomatology varies with the individual's typical drinking pattern. Cross-sectional data from a sample of 713 rural residents are used. To clarify the nature of the stress-buffering functions of alcohol use, the relationships are then examined for different categories of stressors (e.g.) marital, job-related). Results show that life events are more strongly related to depressive symptomatology in abstainers and heavy drinkers than in moderate drinkers. More specifically, the interaction profiles suggested that financial and calamitous events were but minimally related to symptomatology among both moderate and heavy drinkers (thus suggesting stress-buffering functions with regard to these events). In contrast, relational and health events were unrelated to symptomatology only among moderate drinkers.