Assessment of the life stress-depression relationship: The use of social support as a moderator variable

Two hundred and fifty-two undergraduates completed a modified version of the Life Experience Survey (LES), the Beck Depression Inventory (Revised), and a measure of social support. Correlations between negative and total life changes on the LES and the Beck were significant for individuals with high social support (r=.36 and .29), but these correlations were significantly higher for individuals with low social support (r=.67 and .66). In addition, positive LES scores were significantly correlated with the Beck for individuals with low social support (r=.37), and individuals with low social support had higher mean scores on the Beck,F(1,250)=20.72,p<.0001. These findings were interpreted as supporting the theory of Holmes and Rahe and Sarason and Johnson that aversive life changes are related to depression, and provide evidence for the view the positive life changes can also be stressful. These data also support the concept of individual differences in vulnerability to stress and the role of social support in this vulnerability. The use of social support as a moderator variable appears to enhance correlations between the LES and depression to the level of clinical utility.