Gender Gender considerations considerations

in Major in Major Depressive Depressive

DisorderDisorder

Taken in part from Comer’s ‘Abnormal Psychology’ 7th edition

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Worldwide, women are twice Worldwide, women are twice as likely as men to be as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.diagnosed with depression.

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Worldwide, women are twice Worldwide, women are twice as likely as men to be as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.diagnosed with depression.

Women are also likely to be Women are also likely to be younger when depression younger when depression strikes.strikes.

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What factors contribute to What factors contribute to these statistics?these statistics?

Artifact theoryArtifact theory

A theory which states that women and men A theory which states that women and men are equally likely to suffer from depression, are equally likely to suffer from depression, but clinicians are more likely to detect it in but clinicians are more likely to detect it in women. (Brommelhoff et al 2004)women. (Brommelhoff et al 2004)

Artifact theoryArtifact theory

A theory which states that women and men A theory which states that women and men are equally likely to suffer from depression, are equally likely to suffer from depression, but clinicians are more likely to detect it in but clinicians are more likely to detect it in women. (Brommelhoff et al 2004)women. (Brommelhoff et al 2004)

Nolen-Hoeksema found that women are no Nolen-Hoeksema found that women are no more likely to seek help for depression than more likely to seek help for depression than men (1990).men (1990).

Hormone explanationHormone explanation

The theory that the hormonal changes in a The theory that the hormonal changes in a woman’s body can trigger depression.woman’s body can trigger depression.

Hormone explanationHormone explanation

The theory that the hormonal changes in a The theory that the hormonal changes in a woman’s body can trigger depression.woman’s body can trigger depression.

It’s hard to separate the hormonal from the It’s hard to separate the hormonal from the social influences though.social influences though.

Criticised as sexist. Criticised as sexist.

Life stress theoryLife stress theory

On average women are more likely to On average women are more likely to encounter:encounter:

More povertyMore poverty

More menial jobsMore menial jobs

Less adequate housingLess adequate housing

More discrimination than menMore discrimination than men

Body dissatisfaction Body dissatisfaction explanationexplanation

Women more likely to be Women more likely to be dissatified with their body.dissatified with their body.

Why do you think this is the Why do you think this is the case?case?

Lack of control theoryLack of control theory

Women are less likely to be in control / feel Women are less likely to be in control / feel that they are in control of their lives.that they are in control of their lives.

Women are more likely to be victimized.Women are more likely to be victimized.

Self-blame explanationSelf-blame explanation

Women are less likely to use the self-Women are less likely to use the self-serving bias.serving bias.

That is, women are more likely than men to That is, women are more likely than men to blame their failure on lack of ability and blame their failure on lack of ability and attribute their successes to luck.attribute their successes to luck.

Today’s men and women may not differ as Today’s men and women may not differ as much as they used to (Kling 1999).much as they used to (Kling 1999).

Rumination theoryRumination theory

Imagine the situation:Imagine the situation:

Boyfriend and girlfriend have just Boyfriend and girlfriend have just had a big fight, they both storm had a big fight, they both storm off angrily.off angrily.

What does the boy do next?What does the boy do next?

What does the girl do next?What does the girl do next?

Rumination theoryRumination theory

Women are more likely than Women are more likely than men to ruminate when they men to ruminate when they are feeling down, this could are feeling down, this could make them more vulnerable make them more vulnerable to the onset of depression to the onset of depression (Nolen-Hoeksema).(Nolen-Hoeksema).