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

Abstract

The possible stress-buffering functions of alcohol consumption were examined in a random sample of 713 rural adults. Higher levels of depressive symptomatology were found among those experiencing more life events, although there was no significant effect of alcohol use. The number of reported life events was strongly related to depression for abstainers and heavy drinkers but not for moderate drinkers. Financial and calamitous life events as well as depressive symptomatology were less strongly related among moderate and heavy drinkers than among abstainers, whereas health and relational (involving the family) life events were more strongly related to depression among heavy drinkers and abstainers than among moderate drinkers.