alters the potential for chronicity or persistence of alcohol dependence. Consequently, we also evaluated the hypothesis that self-medication of mood symptoms with alcohol would be associated with persistence of alcohol dependence, once it developed. Because prior findings indicate sex differences for these comorbid relationships,31;32 we also examined whether the association of self-medication with alcohol dependence would vary by sex. We further explored these associations in race- and age-specific strata. In addition, we assessed whether these potential relationships would vary by treatment history, and by diagnosis of mood disorder as compared with sub-threshold mood symptoms. Our rationale for these latter assessments was to garner information as to whether self-medication drinking may be indicative of failure to receive treatment for an affective disorder, or the presence of refractory mood symptoms. We also aimed to assess whether individuals who met full criteria for a mood disorder, such as major depression, would be more likely to self-medicate as compared with individuals who had sub-threshold symptoms.
