(Economic & Social Research Council) -- For the first time researchers have made a systematic study of the ways in which attitudes towards depression are rooted in culture. The findings of the ESRC-funded research at Royal Holloway, University of London, inform our understanding of alcohol use and abuse. Among other things, the study highlights the importance of gender issues in the study of alcohol-related beliefs and behaviour.

The research team in Royal Holloway's Department of Psychology examined attitudes towards alcohol and suicide among UK Protestants and Jews, to discover tolerance levels for depression. Previous research has found that the prevalence of depression is lower among Protestants than among Jews, and among men than among women, and it had been suggested that this is because Protestant men escape depression by drinking or killing themselves.

The study tested this hypothesis by examining alcohol use, alcohol beliefs, reported suicide attempts and suicide beliefs within the two groups.

A number of themes emerged from the research about the acceptability of drinking and being drunk. Professor Kate Loewenthal, co-author of the report, said: "Protestants reported heavier drinking than Jews, generally had more favourable attitudes towards alcohol use and were more liberal towards alcoholics."

Among the Jewish participants, the main concerns were loss of control, revulsion at drunken behaviour and fear of addiction. Protestants, however, believed that drinking is normal, socially acceptable, relaxing and a pleasant escape from stress.

The study supported the idea that Jewish men are reluctant to use alcohol as an escape from depression and, in parallel, were found to report higher levels of tolerance of depression than their Protestant counterparts. "The study may help explain the higher prevalence of depression among Jewish men, because they are more willing to recognise and report it," says Professor Loewenthal. "Cultural differences with respect to suicide were less clear cut," says Professor Loewenthal, "but Jews had more moral objections and greater fear of suicide and were marginally less accepting of suicide than their Protestant counterparts."

Attitudes to alcohol differed between men and women, but were not as marked as the differences between Jews and Protestants. Men reported heavier drinking than did women, and thought that use of alcohol was more acceptable, both for self and others. Jewish men and women were similarly unfavourable towards alcohol use, while Protestant men were more favourable than Protestant women. Gender differences with regard to suicide were not noteworthy.

The researchers were able to develop a reliable measure for the tolerance of depression which in future may help improve understanding of culture - and gender-related factors in the prevalence of depression. "This included measures for bearability of depression, lack of blame for depression and a willingness to confide in others," says Professor Loewenthal.