title: The effect of moderate alcohol use on the relationship between stress and depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to determine whether moderate alcohol use mediates or buffers the effect of stress on depression in a group of non-Hispanic White men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from the Los Angeles Epidemiological Catchment Area cohort. Individuals were assessed at two time periods, 1 year apart. Mean depression scores were analyzed for each level of stress and alcohol use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the simultaneous presence of both chronic strain and negative life events, a U-shaped pattern was observed in which abstainers and light and heavy drinkers had higher depression scores at the second time period than did light-moderate and moderate alcohol users. The U-shaped relationship remained when the effects of sex, age, and physical health status were controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Light-moderate and moderate drinkers had less depression in the presence of stress than persons in other more extreme drinking categories. Moderate alcohol use may serve as a proxy for a spectrum of generally moderate behaviors that either attenuate the effect of stress on depression or suppress the effects of stress.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Research Group, Berkeley, Calif.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Lipton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*