Moderating the effects of stress on depressive symptoms

The authors examined whether social support (measured as having a partner or spouse, satisfaction with partner or spouse relationships at Time 1 and at Time 2, and frequency of visits with close friends and relatives) and self-esteem buffered the impact of two types of stressful life events on depressive symptomatology in a prospective investigation of 728 full-time working men and women 58 to 64 years of age at recruitment in a metropolitan North Carolina area. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the impact of stressful events involving social networks was buffered by satisfying relationships at Time 1 and self-esteem, Satisfying relations al Time 1 also lessened the impact of work stressors on depressive symptoms.