Evaluating the mediating effects of social support upon life events and depressive symptoms.

Previous research has yielded inconsistent results regarding the mediating effects of social support upon psychiatric illness. Using data (N = 2029) gathered as part of a major epidemiologic study in the southeastern United States, the authors examine the relationships among depressive symptoms, social support, stressful life events, and socioeconomic status. As anticipated, direct effects were found for social support, stressful life events, and socioeconomic status upon depressive symptoms. However, when the data were analyzed via three-way analysis of variance and multiple regression (including all possible interaction terms) analysis, no statistically significant interactive effects were found. The authors conclude that these findings clearly demonstrate direct effects of social support and stressful life events upon depressive symptoms. Respondents in the lower social support groups experience the greatest impact of stressful life events; in contrast, persons in high social support groups, although evidencing increased symptom scores with increasing numbers of life events, experience the buffering effect of social support by showing less severe distress.