Gender differences in diagnosing depression & benefits of diagnosis By Madeleine, Phoebe H, Phoebe W and Issy P

Major depressive disorder is twice as common in women. The manifestation of depression differs between male and females. Men are more likely to have physical and behavioural symptoms such as tiredness and irritability. They may be more likely to have difficulty sleeping than women who have depression. Women are more likely to experience appetite and weight loss as well as more mood related symptoms like inappropriate guilt and tearfulness. This can result in men not being diagnosed or treated properly for their depression. The tendency of females to report more depressive symptoms than males might be why they have a greater likelihood of meeting criteria for a depressive disorder, even though males and females with depressed mood report similar levels of social and occupational impairment. Men may develop alternative coping mechanisms such as alcoholism and anti-social behaviour rather than going to seek help. Men may also be more likely to supress their emotions due to fear of being judged my stereotyping and gender norms (e.g. men aren’t ‘supposed’ to show emotion or cry). Gender differences

Benefits of diagnosis One of the benefits of a diagnosis is the prevention of serious harm or suicide attempt (Suicide is the leading cause of death for men between 20 and 34 in England and Wales). An early diagnosis at the stage of mild depression can help to prevent worsening of symptoms. Early intervention can also ensure that the depression is treated effectively, and therapy (such as CBT) can be used in order to treat the root cause so that the likelihood of relapse is reduced.

Differences between male and female depression Women tend to:Men tend to: Blame themselvesBlame others Feel sad, apathetic, and worthlessFeel angry, irritable, and ego inflated Feel anxious and scaredFeel suspicious and guarded Avoid conflicts at all costsCreate conflicts Feel slowed down and nervousFeel restless and agitated Have trouble setting boundariesNeed to feel in control at all costs Find it easy to talk about self-doubt and despairFind it “weak” to admit self-doubt or despair Use food, friends, and "love" to self-medicateUse alcohol, TV, sports, and sex to self-medicate Adapted from: Male Menopause by Jed Diamond

Impact on the validity and/or reliability of diagnosis of depression The diagnosis of depression in females is significantly higher than that in males, irrelevant of age. This may be due to a genuine difference in depression rates (which is unlikely as there is no significant evidence for this), but it is more likely that the difference is in the diagnosis. Females may have higher diagnosis rates because it is seen as more socially acceptable for them to show their emotions; as a result it is more likely for them to seek help from a doctor, or when they do see a doctor they are more open/reveal their emotions more than males. As a consequence of this, they are more likely to be diagnosed with depression. This lowers the reliability of the diagnosis of depression as it is an inconsistency in the diagnosis of males and females. It also lowers the validity of the diagnosis of depression because the results of the diagnosis are affected by gender, not solely affected by the individuals mental health.

Women talk a lot more about feelings and therefore are more likely to seek help for depression than men. This means women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men, and many men who have depression will go a long time without being diagnosed. This could result it statistics about depression showing a higher rate amongst women than men, when in fact this isn’t true. This means that these statistics lack validity as they are not taking into account everyone who has depression, and so generalisations such as ‘depression is higher in females’ cannot be made. Impact on the validity and/or reliability of diagnosis of depression

Kessler, McGonagle, Swartz, Blazer, & Nelson (1993) All concluded that women are more likely to have a lifetime prevalence for diagnosable major depressive disorder than men. Women = 21.3% compared with men = 12.7%. The World Health Organisation (2001) In 2001 the World Health organisation published a report about mental health throughout the world. The report found that overall, prevalence of mental health issues and behavioural disorders does not differ between men and women. However the report found that women have higher levels of anxiety and depressive disorders, whereas higher levels of anti-social and personality disorders were found in men. Research evidence