FINANCIAL STRESS, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND ALCOHOL INVOLVEMENT - A LONGITUDINAL TEST OF THE BUFFERING HYPOTHESIS IN A GENERAL-POPULATION SURVEY

This study examined whether specific facets of social support (tangibl e assistance, appraisal, and belonging) moderate the relationship betw een a specific type of stress (financial stress) and alcohol involveme nt (drinking to cope, heavy drinking, and alcohol problems). Data were derived from a community sample stratified by education and race. Res pondents (N = 1,040) were interviewed in 1986 and 1989 and had drunk a lcohol during the year preceding both interviews. Results supported th e buffering influence of tangible support on the financial stress-alco hol involvement relationship. In contrast, neither appraisal nor belon ging support consistently revealed a buffering pattern. These findings indicate the importance of taking into account specific components of social support when examining the relationship between specific sourc es of life stress and alcohol involvement.