Depression, Drinking to Cope, and Alcohol Use Severity Among Latinos Who Drink: The Moderating Role of Sex.

Objectives: The present study evaluated sex differences in the direct and indirect links between depressive symptoms, coping motives to drink, and alcohol use severity among Latinos who drink.

Methods: A large and diverse panel sample of Latinos, who were strategically sampled to be reflective of the Latino demographics of the state of Texas, completed questionnaires assessing their depressive symptomatology, coping motives to drink, and alcohol use behaviors.

Results: Direct effects were significant in hypothesized directions such that depressive symptoms was positively associated with both coping motives to drink and alcohol use severity, and drinking motives to cope were positively associated with alcohol use severity. Moderator analysis showed that, compared to Latina women, the association of depressive symptoms with both drinking to cope and alcohol use severity was significantly higher among Latino men. Regarding indirect effects, a moderated mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect of depressive symptoms on alcohol use severity through coping motives to drink was statistically significant for both Latino/a men and women; however, the index of moderated mediation showed that this indirect effect was significantly greater among Latino men.

Conclusion: Although both Latino/a men and women may consume alcohol and turn to alcohol to drink with negative affect associated with depressive symptoms, this process may be stronger among Latino men. Findings are discussed considering prior work and implications for practitioners.