Gender, depressive symptoms and patterns of alcohol use among college students

Serious alcohol-related negative consequences are associated with a number of drinking behaviors among college students. Thus, it is critical to identify students who are at greater risk for hazardous drinking. Although some studies have shown that depressive symptoms may be associated with alcohol use in this population, findings are not consistent. The current study extends previous research by investigating the relationship between depressive symptoms, daily alcohol use and compulsive drinking among college students and whether gender moderates these relationships.

The participants were 904 college students (495 females; mean age = 20.07 ± 1.85 years) who filled out questionnaires that focused on drinking behaviors and severity of depressive symptoms.

Gender moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and daily alcohol consumption. In male college students, worse depressive symptoms were associated with increased daily alcohol use and with greater risk for compulsive drinking. In female college students, worse depressive symptoms increased the risk for compulsive drinking, but not for greater daily alcohol use.

Results suggest that prevention programs aimed at decreasing harmful alcohol use among college students must take into consideration the role of both gender and depressive symptoms in the development of problematic drinking behaviors.