Is Depression Affected By Gender?

Name: 

Gender Differences in the Development and Adult Outcome of Co-Occurring Depression and Delinquency in Adolescence 

Article Citation (in APA Style): 

Diamantopoulou, S., Verhulst, F. C., & Van Der Ende, J. (2011). Gender differences in the development and adult outcome of co-occurring depression and delinquency in adolescence. Journal of abnormal psychology, 120(3), 644. 

INTRODUCTION (4-6 sentences): 

The aim of the study is to assess how depression fairs across the gender divide. Although it evaluates delinquency, the main focus is on depression. The research was based on a theoretical background asserting that the risk factors of certain mental diseases tend to be influenced by gender. The hypothesis proven in the research is that females are likely to experience depression at a much higher probability compared to men. Several factors have been implicated in depression including genetics, biological aspects, and personal life circumstances among others. Studies have revealed that these factors tend to have an overbearing effect on women compared to men. 

METHOD (4-6 sentences): 

The method employed was a seven-wave longitudinal study of emotional and behavioral problems. The participants in the study were a group of adolescent teenagers aged between 11 and 18 years. The total number of participants in the study was 1423 with 674 being boys and the rest girls. The participants were classified based on childhood problems. In measuring depression, a tool known as the Anxious/Depressed Scale of the Youth Self-Report was utilized. 

RESULTS (4-6 sentences): 

The authors find out that the rates of depression tend to be higher in females compared to males. The authors say, "Girls have been found to be more anxious and depressed than boys when they experience stress in their social relations" (Diamantopoulou et al., 2011 p. 645). From these assertions, it remains apparent that females have fewer coping skills compared to men especially when faced with life problems. When assessing the lives of both males and females, the former tend to have many life stressors that could essentially develop into depression when not properly handled. Issues such as premenstrual problems, pregnancy, and the rapid changes that occur during puberty all have impactful significance on the psychology of the woman. When they lack the appropriate strategies to deal with these issues, the women tend to go down the route of depression easily. 

DISCUSSION AND SO WHAT FACTOR (4-6 sentences): 

The information acquired here can influence diagnosis and public health. It remains apparent that girls and women are more prone to depression symptoms compared to their male counterparts. Mental health practitioners will know that depression is significantly affected by gender. It is without a doubt that women or girls are more likely to expression depressive episodes compared to men or boys. Three fundamental issues have been identified in a bid to explain the disproportionality. First, females have fewer coping skills compared to males. Secondly, the adolescent changes that occur as the person develops could have far-reaching consequences that have more impact on females than males. Lastly, the rapid life changes that happen in the life of women cannot be underestimated such as birth which leads to postpartum depression. 

The strength of the article delves from the fact that it uses an appropriate sample to assess the problem of depression. It has a strong literature review section that assesses how depression and gender have been captured in literature. However, the combination of depression and delinquency makes the research article unnecessarily complex to understand. It also fails to capture any room for future research including the implications of the study to the current literature.